Biking is on the rise in Atlanta, but city streets are still catching up to the public's demand for bikeways that are safe, welcoming, and accessible to connect our city.

Earlier this year, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and the Atlanta City Council took important steps towards a bike-friendly Atlanta, including $2.5 million for bikeways in the next year, and the mayor's goal of Atlanta becoming a top-ten U.S. city for cycilng with 120 miles of high quality bikeways.

These committments along with culture-shifting initiatives like Atlanta Streets Alive and the growing popularity of biking make it possible to conceive of what would once have been a pipe dream – high visibility bicycle facilities on Peachtree, our signature street.

Peachtree Street is the spine of Atlanta. Not only is it our most iconic street, it is home to major landmarks like the Fox Theatre, the High Museum of Art, Bank of America Tower, and Margaret Mitchell House, and traverses the three largest business districts (Midtown, Downtown, and Buckhead). Peachtree provides the city’s best access to MARTA, and is home central for tourists and business visitors exploring the city.

Creating bikeways on Peachtree Street would send a signal that our city is serious about becoming a place where people bikes are not just tolerated, but welcomed.

Peachtree Street is already slated for a three-block section of bikeways Downtown. This section connects to the south with a two-way cycle track coming to Peachtree Center Avenue. To the north of Midtown, bike lanes are being proposed for a section of Peachtree across the Connector, in Brookwood.

These exciting developments mean the heart of Midtown could be connected via a continuous bikeway that would dramatically increase biking in Atlanta.

And it’s not just about Peachtree Street, although our campaign will start with this historic opportunity. Atlanta needs safe, convenient, and continuous bikeways to make getting across town by bike possible for more people.

A few main Atlanta streets are barriers to biking, but could be major bike corridors because they are flat, connect destinations with neighborhoods, and offer ample MARTA access. This will make getting across town by bike possible for more people.

Atlanta is a hilly city and bicycle riders should have access to flattest streets - ridgelines and rail lines. These three key streets - Peachtree Street, Lee Street, and DeKalb Avenue – could be transformed into 13 miles of bicycle broadways that connect the city and people love to ride.