Bike Lane Program Creates Controversy in Atlanta Suburb

Decatur, Georgia planned big for bike infrastructure, and now car commuters are saying traffic is more congested than ever.

1 minute read

February 4, 2020, 6:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Bike Infrastructure

Eric Krouse / Shutterstock

Andy Peters and J.D. Capelouto report on the controversy surrounding bike lanes in Decatur, Georgia, where car commuters are expressing frustration with the city's three-year effort to aggressively pursue new bike lanes.

"Decatur’s bike lanes emerged from its last strategic plan, promoted heavily by former city councilman Fred Boykin (whose shop, Bicycle South, closed in July 2019)," reports Peters and Capelouto. "The city officially adopted the PATH Foundation’s connectivity plan in 2016, designed to connect its city streets to PATH’s existing network of 600 miles of multiuse paths and protected bike lanes."

According to the article, the efforts set Decatur apart from other cities in the Atlanta region. Car commuters, however, don't like the results.

"The issue could come to a head in the coming weeks as Decatur holds citizen roundtables to formulate its 2030 strategic plan — and weigh whether to expand the bike-friendly drive or hit the brakes," according to the article, and other cities, like Atlanta, Dunwoody and Sandy Springs, will soon b undertaking similar processes.

Monday, February 3, 2020 in Atlanta Journal Constitution

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Complete Street

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge

Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

February 27, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3, 2025 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

View of mountains with large shrubs in foreground in Altadena, California.

Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire

In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.

3 hours ago - Pasadena NOw

Aerial view of single-family homes with swimming pools in San Diego, California.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule

The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

5 hours ago - Axios

Close-up of row of electric cars plugged into chargers at outdoor station.

Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives

A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.

March 9 - UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation