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Atlanta Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan Update
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Location:
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Atlanta, Georgia |
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Client:
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Atlanta Regional Commission |
The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) is the regional planning and intergovernmental agency responsible for coordinating planning tasks with jurisdictions within the ten-county, non-attainment area included in metropolitan Atlanta. Bicycle and pedestrian planning in the Atlanta region centers on ARC’s Bike/Ped Task Force, which establishes the regional vision for bike/ped facilities by building consensus on achieving long-term goals. PBS&J was hired to lead the update process to the regional transportation plan for bicycle and pedestrian facilities. As the previous plan had been a compilation of individual jurisdictions’ plans, the goal of the updated plan was that it be comprehensive in nature, accurately reflect the region’s current needs and priorities, and integrate proposed local plans into one connected network.
The update to the ARC Bike/Ped plan was initiated with a detailed description of the existing bicycle and pedestrian transportation system in the Atlanta region, including a discussion of the regional and national trends that had influenced the existing conditions. Geographic information systems (GIS) data and software were used as part of an extensive mapping exercise, and public meetings were held to identify bicycle and pedestrian needs and priorities. After facilitated debates within the ARC’s Bike/Ped Task Force, PBS&J proposed best practices for the Atlanta region. The updated plan recommended over $500 million in projects and improvements and provided guidelines for the development of a comprehensive bicycle and pedestrian network for the next thirty years.
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