On Monday, September 26, 2022, we met with District 4 Councilmember Jason Dozier and Atlanta Department of Transportation (ATLDOT) Mobility Planning Director Betty Smoot-Madison for a pedestrian fatality site and to determine what safety interventions could prevent future fatalities.  Read more

Every two weeks, Atlanta City Council’s Transportation Committee meets to consider legislation and get updates from Atlanta transportation departments and agencies. We review the agendas in advance, decide what legislation is most relevant to our strategic goals, determine if public support or opposition is needed, then attend the meetings virtually or in person. This is our monthly summary of the meetings and the issues we are watching. Read more

Propel ATL works to build an Atlanta where everyone moves safely, easily, and sustainably throughout the city, but we don't mean only by walking or rolling. Public transit makes moving and traveling through the city more sustainable and accessible, and making transit work better for people in Atlanta is a priority for us. A generous investment from the Mobility Fund helped establish a transit equity coalition, laying the groundwork for continued, collaborative advocacy that centers the voices of people with the greatest stake in transit, and who rely on it the most. Read more

As advocates for people-centered, safer streets, crash data is a valuable tool to make the case for why a street needs traffic calming, bike/LIT lanes, fewer or narrower lanes to reduce speeds, or other safety interventions. Using crash data can help convey the urgency to develop safety measures people feel based on their experiences. Yet the information can be hard to find, outdated, or even inaccurate.  Georgia has a crash data portal that can help. Visit our recently-published Finding Crash Data page to learn more! 

Earlier this month, President Joe Biden signed a $750 billion Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) into law. The IRA may be the most significant climate change legislation in U.S. history so far. It will provide funds and opportunity for communities to tackle climate change and transition to cleaner energy options along with measures to reduce inflation and rising costs. Read more for noteworthy transportation and urban policy items in the legislation, as well as one policy that did not make it but that would reduce transportation-generated carbon emissions.  Read more

With the recent announcement from the Atlanta Department of Transportation of a new scramble at the intersection of 10th and Piedmont in Midtown, interest in this safety strategy is on the rise!  We’ve advocated for pedestrian scrambles for years. While today it’s accepted that most BeltLine crossings will have pedestrian scrambles, this wasn’t always the case. For example, we had to push hard to get the scramble at the BeltLine Krog tunnel intersection with DeKalb Ave. Traffic engineers were concerned that the scramble would increase delay for people driving, but in the end the tremendous safety benefits of the scramble won out. We’ve advocated for scrambles as part of other projects as well and see them as a valuable safety tool.  If you’re asking yourself what a pedestrian scramble is, you’re not alone. Pedestrian scrambles create a time during a traffic signal’s cycle when people on foot and using wheelchairs can cross in any direction, without worrying about turning cars.  Read more

The August 10, 2022 meeting of Atlanta City Council's Transportation Committee marked the first time interim ATLDOT Commissioner Marsha Bomar appeared before the committee. Unfortunately, one of the first things she had to do was share the tragic passing of Vision Zero program manager Kemberli Sargent in July 2022.  Read more

Testing different approaches to intersection safety is a good way to make sure public dollars are spent on solutions with proven benefits. After a trial period, the Atlanta Department of Transportation recently decided to extend the closure of the westbound lane of Faith Ave SE at Bill Kennedy Way SE with a month-long pilot. We hope this will lead to other safety improvements for the key Bill Kennedy Way corridor, which includes one of the city's few protected bike/LIT lanes and connects the BeltLine Eastside Trail.  Read more

This is the view from Northside Drive where a young man's life ended suddenly a few months ago. Just 28 years old, he was trying to cross the street when he was hit by the driver of a car and killed. We receive daily reports of fatal crashes from the state department of transportation, and share the reports on sustainable transportation fatalities with the relevant City Council members so they can use the information to advocate for safer streets in their districts.  Read more

With the recent departure of Commissioner Josh Rowan, the Atlanta Department of Transportation (ATLDOT) is in need of new leadership. Right now the Mayor’s Office is finalizing the interim commissioner, with an announcement likely within the next two weeks. Next begins the official Commissioner search, a process expected to take about four months.  Of course, securing new leadership is only one step in a longer process to continue to build the most effective department possible. The next step is just as key - the new Commissioner must shape the organization in a way that lets it prioritize the very ambitious One Atlanta Strategic Transportation Plan and make faster progress on safety, equity, and mobility in our transportation systems. As ATLDOT embarks on its next stage, we want to hear from you!  Read more

The City of Atlanta Fiscal Year 2023 final budget reallocated $1 Million from the proposed Atlanta Department of Transportation budget to pay for firefighter raises. The adopted ATLDOT budget is $57.5 Million--a 7.6% increase over 2022. Read more

On Thursday, May 19th, more than 100 people joined us for our first large in-person event since 2020. The Blinkie Awards is a special annual event where we celebrate accomplishments and advancements related to sustainable transportation made over the past year.  Additionally, at the 2022 Blinkies, we debuted our new name and brand. Formerly the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition, we are now Propel ATL.  Read more

Last night, Atlanta ballot initiatives to pay for transportation projects were approved by voters. The TSPLOST (transportation sales tax) passed with 69% of the vote and the two bond ballot measures received over 80%.  Read more

The new name reflects the organization’s expanded mission, follows PEDS merger last spring  ATLANTA (May 20, 2022) - One of the Southeast’s leading organizations dedicated to sustainable transportation advocacy is now Propel ATL.  The new name reflects the nonprofit’s expanded mission that was adopted in 2019 — to reclaim Atlanta’s streets as safe, inclusive and thriving spaces for people to ride, walk, and roll.  Read more

Deep-pocketed yet narrow veins of opposition to safe and complete streets and people-centered design must not be allowed to dictate the design of public spaces. In March, after learning that the Peachtree Shared Street pilot would be removed, we joined other advocates in calling on the City of Atlanta to demonstrate its commitment to creating a Peachtree Street for people. Now it’s May, and we believe it’s time to make the next steps for this project official and to regain momentum.  Read more