In case you missed it, Propel ATL recently worked with Midtown Promenade, the shopping development on Monroe Drive and the Atlanta BeltLine, to add 27 new bike racks – so up to 57 bikes can park there at any time. They’ve also added a bike repair stand and some new parking lot pedestrian safety features.

Some of the new racks are upgraded replacements for old racks, while others are new. 

"Now, there is ample parking...to accommodate people purchasing more groceries while allowing people to lock up securely," said Cycrev founder Benjamin Kasavan. (Photo: Niiya Grant)

The shopping development, which is across the street from Midtown High and Piedmont Park and houses one of the most popular Trader Joe’s in the country (facts!), has grappled with traffic and parking challenges seemingly forever. (Anyone who’s attempted to get to or through the area during any weekend event or rush hour can attest to this fact.)

At the request of the property managers, Propel ATL conducted a site visit and came up with proposed traffic safety changes and suggestions for new bike racks and other bicycle amenities. Cycrev LLC installed the racks, which are manufactured by Dero. (Dero generously donates 10% of sales made through Propel to support our advocacy efforts. If you know of a developer in need of bike racks, please put us in touch!) Cycrev also installed a bicycle repair stand that lets people inflate their tires and make quick repairs and adjustments.

Earlier bike racks did not allow people to secure more than their front wheel, making bikes prone to theft. Midtown Promenade installed the new racks in response to cyclists' feedback about this.

“Since we are on the BeltLine, we wanted to provide more bike accessibility and hopefully help with the traffic,” said Niiya Grant, property manager at Midtown Promenade. “Because we’re right there, in the neighborhood. The high school is across the street. The park is right there. The BeltLine is right there. This was clearly the right move.”

Grant says the improved bike racks, installed in April, are already seeing a great deal of use.

“The new bike racks are much better than the previous design,” noted Cycrev founder Benjamin Kasavan. “As a Midtown resident who lives just up the street from Trader Joe's, I was regularly frustrated by the lack of parking. Now, there is ample secure parking and a space specifically for cargo bikes or bikes with trailers to accommodate people purchasing more groceries while allowing people to lock up securely.”

Here’s the rundown on Midtown Promenade’s new bike rack locations and parking lot safety features:

Locations of new bike racks

• By Snooze A.M. Eatery and Restore, near the BeltLine (This is where the new bicycle repair stand is.)
• By Starbucks and Mellow Mushroom
• In front of and beside Trader Joe’s
• By Apres Diem
• By the stairs leading to Home Depot

What else

• New bike repair stand near Snooze A.M. Eatery and Restore 
• New crosshatched crosswalk at Midtown Promenade’s Monroe Drive entrance
• New crosshatched crosswalk,  stop signs, and stop bar (the wide white line indicating where to stop) at BeltLine entrance 

Old bike racks begone! Fun fact: The crew with Cycrev used bikes to tote all the tools and supplies they needed to install the new racks. (Photo: Benjamin Kasavan)

Photo: Niiya Grant

Photo: Benjamin Kasavan