Safe. Free. Connected. Green. Transformational. Quiet.

These are the words attendees used to describe what life after cars means to them. On Friday, March 13, nearly 300 Atlantans gathered at the historic Plaza Theatre to imagine just that. We had a full house, buzzing with energy, as we came together for Life After Cars LIVE, a community conversation about breaking free from car dependence and building safer, healthier, and more connected communities.

Panel Discussion with Sarah Goodyear, Councilmember Kelsea Bond, Sam Foster,  and Doug Gordon (left to right).

Hosted by Propel ATL, the event featured Sarah Goodyear and Doug Gordon, the co-authors of Life After Cars: Freeing Ourselves from the Tyranny of the Automobile. Sarah and Doug were joined by local leaders shaping Atlanta’s streets today including Councilmember Kelsea Bond who represents Atlanta’s Second District; Kevin Randolph (AKA Beltline Kevin) who is a beloved rollerblading neighbor known for bringing joy to Atlanta’s public spaces; and Sam Foster who is a Marietta-based cyclist and a co-founder of A Better Cobb.

Beltline Kevin’s Cameo

We talked about the good, the bad, and the ugly of Atlanta’s streets and transportation systems. The conversation was lively and honest — from missing bike lanes, incomplete sidewalks, and Doug jovially referring to the crosswalk buttons as “beg buttons” to the victories worth celebrating like Piedmont Park being praised by our visitors as “the best urban park in the US”! 

Audience members also jumped in with questions and personal stories about how cities built for cars have impacted their own lives — two people sharing personal experiences about being hit by a person driving a car.

The urgency and sobriety of the conversation was equally matched by the joy of imagining all that Atlanta could be! One attendee even rolled into the theatre on rollerblades, a reminder of the fun and freedom possible when streets belong to people, not just cars. While this event is over, we are committed to continuing this conversation. We invite you to stay connected and help us move this vision forward.

Full house for Life After Cars LIVE at the Plaza Theatre

Finally, thank you to our sponsors who helped make this event happen: The National Resource Defense Council (NRDC), Hopp, and Lime.