ATLANTA — Neighbors and families walking or biking along Empire Boulevard will now their own dedicated lane.
A recent accident highlighted the need for improved safety measures along the road in southwest Atlanta.
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The initiative aims to separate foot and bike traffic from vehicles, addressing longstanding concerns from parents and the community.
“Unfortunately we did have an incident where a student was hit by a car in this area,” Crawford W. Long Middle School Principal Carla McCall-McCou said. “This has really alleviated a lot of concerns that the schools, the parents, and the community have.”
City and Atlanta Department of Transportation leaders attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the new lane.
The event coincided with a Walk to School day, underscoring the initiative’s focus on encouraging more students to walk safely to school.
“We’re using every tool, every innovation, every opportunity to make our roads safer, smarter, and more inclusive,” said ATLDOT commissioner Solomon Caviness.
Atlanta City Councilman Antonio Lewis grew up in the area and attended Crawford W. Long Middle School. He noted that the school has a high number of students who could walk to school but currently do not.
The hope is that the new lane will change this trend, not only at Crawford W. Long Middle School, but across Atlanta.
“Hopefully this will go even further. The vision is to make it where people are as safe as possible in our community,” Lewis said.
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