Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has announced a two-year, $5 million plan to bring rapid safety redesigns to more than 20 city streets to improve safety for pedestrians, drivers, transit users, cyclists and e-scooter riders.
Through the Action Plan for Safer Streets, Atlanta will more than triple its on-street protected bike network. By the end of 2021, Atlantans will see more than 20 miles of safer streets, according to the plan.
The Action Plan for Safer Streets will establish new connections between key neighborhoods across the city: Southwest Atlanta, the Westside Trail and MARTA; connect Midtown with Downtown; and from West End to Grant Park. See the map above and at this link.
The plan will kick-off with Atlanta’s first-ever temporary, “pop up” bike lane as part of Biketober, the annual event that encourages residents to try biking as a commute option. This temporary lane will allow transportation officials to track usage.
In parallel to this plan, the City of Atlanta will be rewriting its e-scooter ordinance to make improvements to the administration and enforcement of operators. It is expected that the new regulations will be adopted in early 2020.
“A safe city starts with streets designed for everyone,” Bottoms said in a media statement. “The way that people are getting around Atlanta is changing as the city grows quickly, and this plan will help keep pace with new demands across our transportation network. We have heard from residents of Atlanta loud and clear – people want safer streets, and they want to see real changes before another tragedy occurs.”
Four e-scooter riders have been killed in traffic accidents since spring.
