Bike Lane Backlash in Atlanta

A recent local news report from Atlanta shows that a lot of citizens just aren't buying what planners and advocates are selling when it comes to complete streets.

1 minute read

June 4, 2014, 7:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


"Some Atlanta commuters are upset that the city has given some of Decatur Street over to cyclists," reports Jerry Carnes.

At issue is a three-quarter miles section of Decatur Street recently converted from two vehicle lanes in each direction to one, with a middle turn lane, and bike lanes in each direction.

"Decatur Street is near Georgia State and students traveling on two wheels. The coalition wants to double the number of people who cycle to work as the city gains more and more commuters," according to the article.

But one resident isn't buying it. "I support biking in a fashion that makes sense," said Valerie Nowell, who commutes by car from Decatur into Atlanta. "This doesn't make sense. The last thing we need is the government making traffic worse."

In a supplemental following video, Carnes introduces the Decatur road diet is part of a "$2.5 million effort to get cars off the streets."

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