“The Human Cost of Mobility,” a new story map from Propel ATL, provides key geographic, demographic, and storytelling context for upward-trending Metro Atlanta traffic deaths, highlighting the human lives behind the statistics and providing recommendations for making our roads safer spaces for everyone. Read more

Noah is a member of the MARTA Riders' Advisory Council. Construction continues on MARTA’s Summerhill Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), or the Rapid A-Line as it is now branded, a 2.5-mile bus rapid transit route designed to provide a fast, reliable, and frequent connection to and from Downtown, Capitol Gateway, Peoplestown, Summerhill, and the Beltline. Although the route is expected to launch in late 2025, the success of this critical transit project – as well as the success of MARTA’s other BRT projects – largely hinges on the Georgia legislature. For the second year in a row, MARTA is asking the state legislature, known as the Georgia General Assembly, to pass legislation allowing MARTA to use automated camera enforcement to protect Summerhill BRT’s bus-only lanes. This legislation is critical to ensuring fast and reliable transit service by preserving bus lanes for buses and ticketing drivers who park or drive in the dedicated lanes.  However, with Summerhill BRT expected to open before the next legislative session, this may be the last chance to pass MARTA’s BRT bus lane legislation and guarantee that Summerhill BRT’s launch is a success.  Read more

For 2025, we’ve shaped a vision for an Atlanta where everyone can move safely, easily, and sustainably throughout the Atlanta metro. Who is the "we" in this sentence? This agenda comes from stakeholders, coalition members, volunteers on our advocacy committee, the advocacy staff on our team, and our audience, who all provided valuable feedback. Here’s how we plan to get there in 2025: Read more

In the Georgia State Legislature, several bills and initiatives are being discussed to improve safety and accessibility for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders. A Senate study committee is being proposed to investigate pedestrian and bicycle safety following an increase in fatal crashes involving walkers and cyclists. There are also two bills addressing automated speed enforcement in school zones, with one aiming to ban speed cameras and the other suggesting reforms. Additionally, two bills could change how cyclists interact with traffic, including allowing cyclists to treat stop signs as yields and enabling them to pass through malfunctioning traffic signals. Advocacy groups emphasize the need for infrastructure redesigns to ensure safer streets and better enforcement of traffic laws. Read more

Many of us who cycle regularly learned from a parent, or from another family member. But not everyone has that privilege. That’s where Shifting Gears comes in.  This youth cycling-education program, offered by Propel ATL for more than six years, provides essential cycling education to students in communities near Atlanta’s High-Injury Network (HIN). The goal: to increase safety and develop savvy young cyclists in these neighborhoods – many characterized by below-average family incomes – where most of the city’s serious traffic injuries and fatalities occur. By empowering young riders, we aim to inspire a love for cycling that will increase recreation and transportation options for families. Read more

Two projects proposed by the Georgia Department of Transportation represent two opportunities to support a more connected, protected network for people to bike, scoot, and use other small wheels.  Read more

We were disheartened, but not surprised, to read the City Auditor's Office review of the Moving Atlanta Forward (MAF) infrastructure package, which found that only $47 million, less than 10 percent of the $460 approved by Atlanta voters in 2022 for transportation projects, had been spent as of August 2024. Read more

Each year we release our annual policy & infrastructure recommendations – what our advocacy efforts will focus on in the year ahead. Here’s what was accomplished through work on the goals in our 2024 agenda and on other issues that arose during the year. Read more

As Atlanta faces rising temperatures, the need for community-driven, climate-resilient infrastructure has never been greater. That’s why Propel ATL and MARTA Army analyzed embarked on a project to find locations where Trees Atlanta plantings could most benefit bus riders.  Read more

“When will my Moving Atlanta Forward projects get built?” “What’s in the parking contract Request for Proposals and how will it protect sidewalks and bike lanes for their intended uses?” “What’s the ATLDOT staff vacancy rate and how is it affecting the department’s ability to get things done?”  During the latest meeting of the Atlanta City Council’s Transportation Committee, councilmembers were asking many of the same questions they’ve been asking all year, following the quarterly report from Atlanta Department of Transportation (ATLDOT) Commissioner Solomon Caviness. Unfortunately they keep getting the same answers, none very satisfying.  In 2025 we will highlight the overdue, stalled, and long-awaited projects funded by Moving Atlanta Forward and support communities looking for answers. We hope the City of Atlanta responds by overcoming whatever obstacles are preventing transportation projects – especially those installing sidewalks, bike lanes, and safer streets – from getting built.  Watch the meeting recording:  Check out the Atlanta Department of Transportation (ATLDOT) presentation: Read more

When people talk about Atlanta, a phrase gets thrown around a lot: “We full.” It’s shorthand for the rapid growth, the surging traffic, the sprawling development, and the overwhelming sense that our infrastructure isn’t keeping up with the city's needs. But are we really “full”? Or have we simply not planned for a future where everyone—residents, businesses, and visitors—can thrive? Sound familiar? We also tackled “We full” earlier this year when we advocated for a boost to Atlanta’s transportation budget.  This is where the Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) comes in. Think of it as the blueprint for how a city like Atlanta evolves. It’s a tool to ensure we don’t just react to change but proactively shape our community in a way that works for everyone, today and tomorrow. Yet, like many plans, the CDP often gets shelved or outdated. As Atlanta’s growth struggles to meet the need of it’s growing population and continues to stretch our infrastructure thin, we must breathe new life into this essential planning process. Read more

Traffic deaths are the leading cause of death of youth in the U.S. This preventable epidemic disproportionately affects people walking and biking, seniors, communities of color, and low-income communities. Over 44,000 people were killed in vehicle crashes in 2022. Millions more suffer life-altering injuries that destroy careers, strain income, and alter family relationships. These staggering numbers represent a dramatic increase over pre-pandemic numbers. Our roads are more dangerous than they’ve been in nearly two decades. The numbers keep rising. Read more

We advocated for a safer Memorial Drive for years. This summer we celebrated work starting on a separated two-way bike/scoot lane. Despite the joy of seeing a highly useful new section of the network get underway, the project has had its challenges. This week we rode the corridor with Jeremy, a new bike commuter who won an e-bike at our Blinkie Awards earlier this year, to see how it’s working–and not working–for him. Read more

Imagine a transit system where buses arrive on time, routes make sense, and everyone—regardless of income or location—can get to work, school, or a doctor’s appointment with ease. This isn’t just a dream; it’s the vision behind MARTA’s NextGen Bus Network Redesign. At Propel ATL, we’ve heard the stories. Riders stranded by late buses. Parents juggling work and childcare around unreliable service. Seniors and people with disabilities navigating inaccessible stops. For years, we’ve been listening, gathering input, and advocating for a bus network that works for everyone. Now, the time has come. After years of study and community feedback, a draft of MARTA’s NextGen Bus Network Redesign is rolling out, marking a potentially transformational moment for public transit in Atlanta. Read more

Thousands of Atlantans rely on buses daily to get to work, school, and essential services. But behind every bus stop and route is a story—stories of missed connections, long waits, and hopes for a more reliable transit system. At Propel ATL, we’re gathering those stories, canvassing bus routes across the city to capture the voices of the people who depend on public transportation the most. Their insights are shaping the future of the bus network in Atlanta, and that’s why our work matters. Read more