Neighbors near Piedmont Park taking bike-lane installation into own hands

In the following Letter to the Editor, Hugh Malkin, Midtown Neighbors’ Association Infrastructure Chairperson and an Atlanta tech entrepreneur, details how an example of “tactical urbanism” is striving to make an intown neighborhood safer for a vulnerable demographic: little kids on bikes. 

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Dear Editor:

The Midtown Neighbors’ Association, Virginia-Highland Civic Association, and Atlanta Department of Transportation are joining forces to create a safer route to school for students of Virginia Highland Elementary and Midtown High School.

Our collaborative effort has produced a design for a two-way protected bike lane on Virginia Avenue, from Monroe Drive, and now we need your support to make this vision a reality.

Imagine a daily commute where students can independently and safely bike to school. For the majority of VHE families, school is less than a mile away, the perfect distance for a 5 to 11-year-old to cycle. Beyond the sheer joy of riding, the benefits of incorporating cycling into a child’s routine are profound. 

But this project could be beneficial to drivers in the area, too. 

Physical activity is a powerful catalyst for cognitive development, boosting focus and concentration in the classroom. Starting the school day with exercise provides an energizing jolt, enhancing alertness and learning readiness. Exercise also triggers the release of endorphins, naturally elevating mood, while time spent outdoors demonstrably reduces stress and anxiety. 

Biking also fosters a sense of independence and responsibility, nurturing self-confidence. Moreover, biking with friends and family strengthens social bonds and cultivates a sense of community. Finally, an increase in cycling to school helps alleviate traffic congestion around the school during drop-off and pick-up times, creating a smoother flow for everyone.

Virginia Avenue is the shortest, flattest, easiest route to school for many VHE and MHS children. The problem is Virginia Avenue’s 40-foot-wide, two-lane road is a dangerous place for all riders but especially our 5 to 11-year-olds who've just learned to ride their bike. 

The school’s crossing guard, Sabrina, has witnessed this firsthand, recently stating: “It’s dangerous out here. These drivers don’t respect the kids, even when they have the right-of-way.”

With its extra-wide lanes, Virginia Avenue's drivers often don’t realize they’re traveling well over the 25-mile-per-hour speed limit. So when they unexpectedly come across a child biking—just a bit faster than walking—right in the middle of their lane, it’s a shock. The driver either slams on the brakes or tries to squeeze around the novice rider, darting into the oncoming lane. 

It’s a heart-stopping sight—and only a matter of time before someone gets hurt.

To address this critical safety issue, the Midtown and Virginia-Highland neighborhoods have worked with ATLDOT to design a tactical urbanism project that creates a temporary two-way protected bike lane along Virginia Avenue from Monroe Drive to Park Drive/Ponce Place. The beauty of tactical urbanism projects is that they let the community test a concept (reviewed and approved by ATLDOT) quickly and affordably, giving us a real-world glimpse of how the concept could permanently improve safety—not just for drivers, but for everyone. 

If the neighborhoods decide it's not working, we can easily modify it or remove it. 

MNA and VHCA are aiming to raise $12,000 and install the roadway amendments in two days for a 12-month test. 

Optional extension

This project can be extended both toward and up 8th Street, creating a safe way for highschoolers to get to Midtown High, and all the way to North Highland Avenue, connecting the Beltline to the many businesses in the heart of Virginia-Highland. 

MNA welcomes your input on the 8th Street extension and VHCA encourages your feedback on the Virginia Avenue extension to North Highland. 

Most of VHE’s students live less than a mile from school, and being a few hundred feet from the Beltline, VHE has the opportunity to be the most bikeable elementary school in Atlanta and maybe even Georgia. 

This temporary bike lane will demonstrate that VHE and MHS can provide a healthy opportunity to bike to school while reducing the need for cars on the road and in the pick-up line. 

You can help by donating to the project and/or volunteering to help with its installation.

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