Open Streets Success Story: Atlanta Streets Alive

An article by Maria Saporta basks in the afterglow of the most recent Atlanta Streets Alive event—held on Sunday, September 27.

"One thing you notice right away at an 'open streets' gathering is that almost everyone is smiling. There is something so liberating about pedestrians and cyclists taking over a roadway that’s usually dedicated to cars."

The timing of the most recent Atlanta Streets Alive event was especially fortuitous, occurring at the same time as the National Open Streets Summit, which helped attract open streets luminaries like Gil Peñalosa to the city. The festivities even inspired Atlanta City Council President Ceasar Mitchell to declare: "We should do this every week in every corner of Atlanta."

The article includes Peñalosa's thoughts about Atlanta's version of the open streets event, even stating that the Atlanta Streets Alive name is superior to Ciclovia, the event he helped pioneer in Bogotá in 1995. In addition to a lot more celebration of Atlanta Streets Alive, along with lots of pictures, Saporta also shares another observation about the value of open streets events:

"Open streets equals open minds. Everyone is on even ground when they are walking and cycling on the same streets. So open streets can help weave communities and cities together – helping blur a bold line between rich and poor."