The Atlanta Department of Transportation (ATLDOT), Councilmember Antonio Lewis, and other school officials joined with parents, students, and community stakeholders for a ribbon-cutting ceremony and celebratory walk to school marking the completion of the newly extended tactical walk/bike lane along Empire Boulevard.
The lane now spans from Mt. Zion Road to Ward Drive to support safer travel for residents and
Crawford W. Long Middle School students. This vital extension enhances pedestrian and cyclist safety for students and residents traveling to Crawford Long Middle School, offering a more connected and secure route.
The expanded lane officially opened to the school community at the start of the 2025–2026
academic year, building on the success of the original segment completed in 2023 with
generous support from General Motors and the National Center for Safe Routes to School.
Lewis says this is a special moment for him as he is a devoted scooter rider and her jogs every day through his community.
“To see this type of progress on Empire Boulevard really touches my heart,” he said. “This is more than just a ribbon cutting to me, it represents a new chapter for our community, one that says we care about safety, health, and about are citizens.”
He also says the bike lane will allow children to walk to school without fear and will allow seniors to stroll with confidence.
“This extension of this tactical walk/bike lane connects families, neighborhoods, and students at Crawford Middle to a safer, healthier way to move,” he said.
According to the National Institute of Health, Lewis says, marked and protected bike lanes were associated with a roughly 50% reduction in injury rates, collision frequency, and crash rates compared to roadways without that type of infrastructure.
Behind this statistic, he says, is a person, a neighbor, a grandmother, a child. From an environmental perspective, he states this extension opens doors to reduce injuries or fatalities.
“This is a shared space and responsibility, but this is about people being safer drivers, walkers, and cyclists, who all have a role in making our streets more respectful and safer,” he said. “Empire Boulevard is a place for everyone”.
Frederick Gardiner, Atlanta deputy chief operating officer, said they’re celebrating more than an opening of a new walk, but celebrating the creation of a safer, more connected area.
“This project represents major step towards our Vision Zero goal of eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries by giving people a protected space to walk, bike, and travel safely,” he said. “It’s about access, opportunity, and investing in our next generation.”
He also says they are building a city where every street is safe for every Atlantean, a clear example of what Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens seeks: a one-safe city.
Commissioner of ATLDOT Solomon Caviness said he receives comments about them only caring about the Southside, but he rebuttals and says, “we’re here again, only two years since our kickoff over at Crawford Long Middle School where we put our pilot initiative for Safe Routes to Schools.”
“We’re here again, out on Empire Boulevard making a difference. You see kids walking up the sidewalks heading to school, and you see buses going by,” he said. “This is what it’s all about, making sure we have facilities for all.”
ATLDOT Deputy Commissioner of Strategy & Planning Betty Smoot-Madison said as Mayor Dickens has always said, Atlanta is a group project.
“This was truly the epitome of a group project, not just our strategy and planning team, but our engineering team as well,” she said. “People like Councilmember Lewis, who felt this project was needed and important, put his own funding towards this, so we are truly grateful for his support in the community.”
Smoot-Madsion added that the City of Atlanta has had 33 fatalities to occur in 2025 thus far on city streets, and while they are trending lower than the number this time last year, “one fatality is still too many.”
“When we put these types of projects on the ground, we are doing our part to ensure we are preventing serious and fatal crashes from occurring, so we appreciate the partnerships and the patience,” she said. “We have to stop aggressive driving and practice patient driving so you don’t jeopardize the lives of other people.”
There will be more walk/bike lanes implemented near schools, according to Smoot-Madison.
