Last week I was excited to join over a hundred Atlanta regional leaders on the 2023 LINK trip to Montreal.  Two of the trip’s themes were highly relevant to our work at Propel ATL: Transportation & Mobility: Montreal investing heavily in transit expansion and Climate & Resiliency: Montreal going green in a big way.  Photo credit: City of Montreal staffer Read more

We have some fantastic infrastructure developments happening in Atlanta! Photo credit: Propel ATL Memorial Drive is slated for an extension of the 3-lane safety configuration, a bike lane (!!), safer crossings for people walking and other safety improvements. We’re collecting letters in support from adjacent neighborhoods and advocating for the bike lanes to be protected. By now the whole world knows – DeKalb Ave has finally been repaved, and bike lanes, some protected, are coming soon. We’re asking for some design tweaks and keeping our eye on the long-term vision for a “complete” DeKalb Ave.  Several miles of D.L. Hollowell Parkway will get a 3-lane safety reconfiguration this fall. We’re pushing for the project to be extended to connect with Northside Drive. Plus, thank you for taking action on South Boulevard! Read more

It’s thanks to the advocacy efforts of so many concerned Atlantans that we’ve been able to see policy wins like the prevention of drastic cuts to ATLDOT’s budget, installation of downtown bike lanes, and creation of a Fatal Crash Investigation Commission. Despite facing a $13M budget cut, Councilmember Dustin Hillis introduced an ordinance to increase ATLDOT's budget by $12M, with $1M allocated to each district, focusing on resurfacing and safety improvements, including ADA repairs and crosswalk enhancements. Let’s celebrate the success of the Central Ave pilot bike lane being installed sooner than expected! Learn about the Fatal Crash Investigation Commission, approved June 20, 2023, and updates on zoning efforts for pedestrian safety! Read more

Since Atlanta Streets alive was placed on pandemic hiatus, we've been hard at work advocating for its return as a monthly open streets program. Now, with City Council support and alongside ATLDOT's first-ever Open Streets manager, we're thrilled to be a part of bringing Atlanta Streets Alive back to Peachtree Street this Fall! Be sure to mark your calendar for September 24, October 22, & November 12, from 1-5 pm as Atlanta Streets Alive makes a triumphant return to Downtown and Midtown, from Mitchell Street to 15th Street.  Read more

Visualization of the proposed ATLDOT budget from Center for Civic Innovation          Thank you to everyone who took action to push for more transportation capacity during the City of Atlanta’s Fiscal Year 2024 budgeting process! You emailed your Councilmembers, showed up to “Bring the Noise,” and commented during public meetings. The media covered our advocacy, noting “Atlanta mayor proposes cutting transportation budget by 12 percent” and asking “Why does Dickens’ biggest-ever city budget cut funds from Atlanta DOT?” We are delighted to share that there were some notable victories. One of them includes securing $200,000 in funding for Atlanta Streets Alive, ensuring its return to our streets this fall. This milestone represents a step forward for our community. Despite these successes, we must address the challenging news. The general operating budget includes a $13 million cut to the Atlanta Department of Transportation (ATLDOT) budget. However, there is still hope on the horizon. During the June 20th Council meeting, Councilmember Dustin Hillis introduced an ordinance to increase ATLDOT's funding by a total of $12 million. Read more

Atlanta has a great opportunity to prevent pedestrian violence while also reducing onerous parking requirements, and along with our friends at ThreadATL we're asking for your help to ensure these opportunities become reality. Councilmember Jason Dozier is sponsoring a set of zoning papers for the BeltLine overlay districts to disallow new car-oriented businesses like gas stations, drive thrus, and service stations, and to eliminate the mandated minimum number of parking spaces for new developments.  How Can You Make a Difference? Email & Tweet: Click here to reach out to your Council member and passionately endorse these pivotal zoning papers before the upcoming full council meeting on Monday, August 21, 2023. Especially let your voice resonate with these representatives: Council Member Amos, District 3 Council Member Norwood, District 8 Council Member Waites, Post 3 At Large Atlanta Planning Advisory Board (APAB)  Read more

Like flowers sprouting after a long winter, we are finally starting to see signs of progress on safe and complete streets across Atlanta, including South Boulevard, Peachtree Street,Cascade Road, DeKalb Avenue, and the roads around City Hall Downtown. We've got a breakdown of what key projects are getting underway, what you can expect, and next steps for advocacy and more information.    Read more

June MARTA News Roundup Whether you scoot, skate, or sprint across Atlanta, chances are, transit options are as vital to getting you around the city as the board, bike, or boots under you! And it’s no different for our advocacy efforts here at Propel ATL, as we recognize that advocating for a better public transit experience elevates other forms of transportation  So, without further ado, let’s talk transit! Read more

This week Atlanta City Council will hold the last committee meetings before considering the budget in the full Council meeting Tuesday, June 20th. Here's what we're watching from the Transportation and Finance committee agendas. (Update: The Transportation Committee did not have quorum at their scheduled meeting time, so the committee will consider legislative items in a committee of the whole session before the full Council meeting on the 20th.) Read more

On May 3, 2023, over 200 Atlantans gathered on the rooftop of The Eastern to celebrate the people making our streets safer and more accessible to ride, walk, roll, or take transit. Hosted by comedian David Perdue, who kept the energy high and the jokes rolling, this year’s Blinkie Awards were a resounding success!  Mike Zarin of Zegi brought the beats, which you can groove to at home here, while The Eastern made sure folks wined and dined through the evening! It was a packed house, full of lively advocates for a better Atlanta enjoying each other's company and celebrating the contributions of our award winners. This year's crop of award winners were all truly remarkable, passionate advocates for a safer city focused on justice, each of whom deserved their chance to shine and be recognized over the course of the evening! Read more

It’s no secret that Atlantans want more connected options for getting around safely. So, when the City of Atlanta proposed a 12% cut to the Atlanta Department of Transportation’s FY2024 operating budget, that raised concerns and eyebrows across the board.  There are certainly times where it takes hard work to ensure Atlanta City Council members are aware of the concerns behind issues, but in this case, Councilmembers shared many of our concerns from the start.  During the May 10th Transportation Committee Meeting and the May 18th City Council FY24 Budget Briefings, Councilmembers asked many of the same questions we’ve been asking:  Read more

If you believe like we do that Peachtree Street should be a people-centered space, raise your voice and show your support for a reimagined Peachtree Street!  An ordinance will come before the Atlanta City Council Transportation Committee on Wednesday May 24, 2023, introduced by Councilmember Amir Farokhi, to preserve the City of Atlanta's match for grant funds for the "Peachtree Street Streetscape project."  Read more

We want Atlanta streets to be safe, inclusive, and thriving spaces for everyone who rides, walks, rolls, or uses public transit. The Atlanta Department of Transportation (ATLDOT) is essential to making that vision a reality. Since the agency's inception, its operating budget has increased each year — up until now. Read more

The 2023 Blinkie Awards took place Wednesday, May 3 at The Eastern in Reynoldstown. Open to the public, the Blinkie Awards is a party and fundraiser that celebrates the contributions of Atlantans working to make city streets safe and accessible for everyone to bike, walk and roll. Read more for this year's awardees. Read more

I love biking downtown for the convenience and joy it brings, but it hasn't been especially safe or easy for as long as I can remember.  When our offices were on Mitchell Street I met a small business owner whose company was nearby. A few years ago he was biking home from work when he was hit by a car driver, breaking several bones, knocking out a few teeth, and resulting in months of surgery and physical therapy and lost productivity. He's back on the bike now but is understandably wary of riding on streets without a designated, protected space for people on bikes and other small wheels.Last week we celebrated the Atlanta Department of Transportation's installation of a protected space for people using bikes and scooters on two blocks of Central Ave (here's an interview I did with Atlanta News First). Collective action made this happen! Read more