No Resisting: Bikes’ Moment Has Come

One surprising victory in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic is the refreshing resilience and resurgence of the humble bicycle. Cities worldwide are seeing near universal decreases in vehicular traffic as employees abandon their daily commutes, and those who must still venture out of their homes are wisely wary of the confined, communal spaces of public transit. Cycling appears to be handily filling the gap, providing necessary and reliable – d i s t a n c e d – transportation in these extreme times, and in extreme numbers: Philadelphia’s automatic cycling traffic counters recorded a 471% increase in traffic along one corridor, and in New York City, public bikeshare operator CitiBike recorded at 67% spike in demand as CoronaVirus lockdowns set in.

Many cities are leaning into the trend by setting aside extra space for cyclists, both to accommodate the welcome volume of cyclists and to aid in social distancing in places where existing sidewalks and bike paths might pinch people together more than is recommended. Atlanta too will consider a City Council Resolution on closing underutilized road space to lend to human-powered transportation at next week’s meeting. Balancing access and funding to implement these plans will be a challenge, but possibly a major coup for Atlanta’s population without access to vehicles. Beyond a short term nod though, Atlanta might take a cue from the emergency responses of other world cities by capitalizing on the lull in traffic to implement a bold, permanent plan to reorient itself away from cars and embrace a renewed vision for the city’s future.