Atlanta ranks on “Best Bike Cities” list for first time

Atlanta is getting more bike friendly, ranking for the first time on the list of “Best Bike Cities” by Bicycle magazine.
The city ranked 43 out of the 50 most bike-friendly cities in the United States for 2016, according to a news release from Mayor Kasim Reed’s office.
The magazine determines the ranking by reviewing data for more than 100 cities, consulting with bicycle experts and interviewing advocates and bicycle riders.
In 2012, Reed committed to making bicycling a more central part of daily life in Atlanta by 2016. To help facilitate that effort, the city launched Relay, the city’s bike share program in June 2016. The city currently has 10 stations in downtown locations and 100 bikes available to rent. Ten additional new stations will be installed this October.
The City of Atlanta has invested in more than 30 miles of bike lanes around the city. The city also hired a “Chief Bicycle Officer” last October. In this role, Becky Katz works on various bicycle projects and public outreach.
“This is just the beginning,” Katz said in the news release. “We will grow our bike share system to 500 bikes by the end of the year, increase the amount of high-quality bike lanes in the city and create a connected bicycle infrastructure network making it safer for riders to get around.”