Atlanta can attribute much of its success to its means of transportation, from one form to another — railways spreading like fingers of the hand; airlines connecting us to the world; mules pulling streetcars shuttling residents to downtown offices … and more to come. I have previously described mobility as man’s “fifth freedom,” facilitating access to jobs, shops, parks and the rest of the city. I was proud when the 1996 Olympics introduced our community of Buckhead with the international bicycling competition.
Bringing back some form of the streetcar is the most popular buzz among big-city planners, but when cost becomes part of the equation, as it must, a doable reform to consider is adding bicycle lanes. What we have to start with is the realization that a blend of opportunities should be studied. For any two-wheel option to materialize, it will have to be accompanied by an extensive educational program.
I don’t know the stats, but my daily observations convince me that bicyclists are increasing at an accelerated pace. So too, however, is the automobile. What decision makers are starting to address is the need for coexistence, and even the Georgia Department of Transportation agrees. It’s predictable, too, that the influx of apartments (more than 7,000 at different stages of development in Buckhead alone) will generate a burgeoning bicycle culture.
What we begin with, however, are a number of serious conflicts. Being honest, we must admit that the average automobile driver has little respect for the cyclist — and vice versa. If that wasn’t a bad enough foundation, it’s important to note that neither one knows or understands the rights and responsibilities of the other. About the only plus side of the argument is the absence of anyone claiming it’s a racial issue.
We’re fortunate our city has the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition as a responsible resource. It’s worthy of our support, in return for which it elicits pledges from members to learn the law of the road and obey every safety procedure. Nonprofit organizations like the Buckhead Coalition can help by co-publishing instructions it distributes to its members and other civic organizations on ways bicycle routes can improve the flow and density of automobile traffic.
It’s going to take time and patience. Historically, Atlantans have been willing to test the newest methods of transportation, and they will again, giving the bicycle its day in the sun. It’s not very costly, it’s very healthy, it doesn’t make noise or other pollution, and it can — given its rightful fair chance — be a welcome new mobility option.
The business community is not likely to ask drivers to switch to bicycles, but motorists can agree to welcome cyclists into the formula. I think we’ll probably have to agree that Atlanta — because of hilly terrain and distances between home and work — doesn’t offer an ideal place for many to opt to commute by bicycle. But the blend of possibilities can make a difference, so let’s give it a try.
Sam Massell, a former Atlanta mayor, is president of the Buckhead Coalition.
