Decatur, GA—Decatur city officials and residents gathered at Glenlake Park on Saturday, April 20, to cut the ribbon on the Church Street cycle track.

Construction of the project was largely finished last summer. The cycle track and paving of Church Street has been completed.

The bike and pedestrian improvements on Church Street complete the final segment of dedicated bike travel lanes from the PATH Stone Mountain trail.

Church Street has been permanently reduced to two lanes, wider sidewalks have been added, and a one-way cycle track, also known as a protected bike lane, has been added on each side of Commerce Drive and Church Street.

The project included intersection improvements to reduce crossing distances and add the cycle track on Commerce Drive, between Clairemont Avenue and Church Street, as well.

“We made improvements to the intersections at Clairemont and Commerce, and Church Street and Commerce to get rid of the slip lanes and try to bring everything closer together…to make it easier to walk into downtown Decatur, safer and have less distance to cross the street,” Capital Projects Manager Hugh Saxon said.

Commerce Drive, between Clairemont and Church, is still five lanes, although the lanes were narrowed from about 13 feet to 10 feet to accommodate the cycle track on both sides of the street. Southbound on Clairemont Avenue, the two left turn lanes remained, and there is a right turn lane, although it is no longer a slip lane.

New trees were planted along Church Street, stormwater infrastructure was installed at the intersection of Clairemont Avenue and Commerce Drive, and most of the on-street parking on Church Street was removed. There are about 10-15 on-street parking spaces on Church Street now.

“The trees will provide shade for [pedestrians and bicyclists] using the cycle track,” Saxon said.

Church Street had not been resurfaced since it was widened from two to four lanes about 40 years ago. The road was rebuilt and repaved as part of the cycle track project.

“I think that’s a hidden improvement that will be a 25-year lasting improvement of pavement. It’s going to be overlooked by a lot of people, but it’ll make a difference,” Saxon said.

The Decatur City Commission approved the project plans in May 2021. But the project began about 11 years ago. The city went through various rounds of funding options with the Georgia Department of Transportation. When the city had the plans completed a few years ago, it took them the remaining time to obtain all the necessary construction easements, Saxon said at the May 3, 2021, city commission meeting.

Saxon told Decaturish on Saturday that it feels good to see pedestrians and cyclists using the cycle track.

“These are the kinds of physical improvements, infrastructure improvements that take years to begin to see the benefits where you’re changing the way people get around Decatur and get around metro Atlanta. I think this is going to be the future,” Saxon said.

He added that it’s exciting to see projects like this be completed.

“I think it’s an attractive landscape. I think it adds to the streetscape of Decatur in a positive way, and I hope people will appreciate it,” Saxon said.

During the ribbon cutting, Mayor Patti Garrett said she recently attended an Atlanta Regional Commission meeting and learned that the ARC’s regional survey typically asks questions about transportation and transit.

“The desire for more pedestrian and bike lanes and trails went from a 17% response pre-pandemic, that people would like to see that, to over 52% in their most recent survey. Everyone in the region is asking for this and for more connectivity,” Garrett said.

She added that DeKalb County has 1.4 miles of protected bike lanes, which are in the city of Decatur.

“We’re helping lead the way. I’m excited to have this done and open,” Garrett said. “I look forward to seeing more and more people using this.”

A few local cyclists said they like that the cycle track is separated from the street and on both sides of Church Street. Sara Dowdle added that she would like to see more elevated bike lanes and separated from the road.

“I really like how it is on both sides of the street,” Dowdle said. “It’s also separated with an actual physical separation. It makes it feel a lot [safer] than if it was just a plastic bollard.”

Derek Jaworski agreed and said he liked the separation. He enjoys feeling more relaxed while riding his bike without having to constantly look over his shoulder for cars.

“A lot of protected bike lanes in Atlanta are the two-way cycle protected lanes which can create awkward interactions at intersections. This feels a lot safer to enter the ccyle track and I feel safe riding the whole way,” Jaworski said.

James Godfrey-Kittle lives nearby and said he uses the cycle track several times a week.

“It feels safe. I appreciate that it’s protected from the road, and it’s on both sides,” Godfrey-Kittle said.

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