Forsyth Street and Edgewood Avenue get some long-overdue attention...not to mention bike lane improvements!

Forsyth complete street under construction

Photo: Propel ATL. Shows resurfacing underway. Bike lane markings and separation will be added after the pavement dries completely. 

Construction is underway on the complete street project for Forsyth Street Downtown! 

This Atlanta Downtown Improvement District (ADID) and Atlanta Department of Transportation (ATLDOT) project creates a safer street with a bike/LIT lane between Memorial Drive and Marietta Street. The project includes:

• Resurfacing Forsyth Street between Memorial Drive SW and Peachtree Street NE
• Upgrading ADA ramps
• Lowering the posted speed limit to 25mph and installing other traffic calming measures in keeping with the City of Atlanta’s Vision Zero goals
• Installing bike infrastructure between Memorial Drive and Marietta Street, separated from car traffic by concrete “wheelstops” and bollards (similar to other downtown bike lanes such as Washington Street, pictured below) 

Check out the plans: from Memorial Drive to Marietta Street & Marietta Street to Peachtree Street.

Initially identified in the 2015 Renew Atlanta Bond, Forsyth Street’s pavement was buckling and riddled with holes. We’re thrilled to see this street finally getting some attention. It’s an essential last-mile connection to transit and the recently installed, award-winning, protected M.L.K. Drive bike lane. 

But! Plans show the Forsyth Street bike/LIT lane will stop at Alabama Street in front of the Five Points MARTA station. Many other places have figured out how buses and bikes can share lanes. Shown below: bike/bike lane in downtown Birmingham, Alabama.

Photo: Propel ATL

Improving this connection will be part of our bike/LIT lane network advocacy efforts this year.

Edgewood Avenue bike lane improvements

Some good news on Edgewood Avenue, too: Another ADID and ATLDOT project has added flexposts to the bike lane between Fort Street and Park Place. While not a cure-all, the posts better delineate the bike lane and will hopefully reduce drivers parking there. 

Photo: Neill Davis via X

In addition to the delineators, the City has also installed new green markings at conflict areas like driveways to increase the visibility of people biking as folks behind the wheel exit parking lots and turn onto the corridor. 

These improvements are in addition to the Edgewood Avenue Safe Streets project, funded by the Moving Atlanta Forward program. That project is scheduled for completion this fall: