Every day, over 7% of the campus community ride bicycles or scooters to and from campus, and 16% walk. As active transportation has grown over the last few years, Georgia Tech’s campus has evolved to reflect its ongoing commitment to encouraging sustainable transportation and the health and safety of community members. 

Georgia Tech has 1.5 miles of shared paths, or paths shared by riders and pedestrians, throughout campus, including the paths around Tech Green and the Campus Center, the EcoCommons, and Atlantic Drive, which connects Home Park to the north and Tech Green to the south. Atlantic was first closed to cars in 2004, and, as active transportation grew on campus, in 2019, marked granite pavers were added to help separate slower and faster traffic.  

Jason Gregory, a senior planner with Georgia Tech Capital Planning and Space Management, saw the effectiveness of the pavers during a trip to Amsterdam to study riding infrastructure with the School of Civil Engineering’s Sustainable Transportation Abroad class. “The pavers remind pedestrians to stay to the right, near the outside of the path, while riders pass on the left. The hills of Atlantic allow riders to move quickly, and, by separating traffic moving at different speeds, we can help to improve the safety of the corridor for all users.” 

During the week of Oct. 10, the student organization S.M.I.L.E. (Spreading Messages in Love and Encouragement), will bring an art installation to Atlantic Drive to help increase awareness of safety on shared paths. 

“Riding, walking, and being outside are great for physical and mental health, but they also represent ways for people to connect and engage,” said S.M.I.L.E. Committee Director Laavanya Rajesh. “We hope that this project will encourage community members to learn more about active transportation while working together to add color and creativity to the path.”  

More information about S.M.I.L.E. and the events they put on can be found on their Instagram @smile.gatech.  

S.M.I.L.E. will start the project on Monday, Oct. 10. On Wednesday, Oct. 12, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., Georgia Tech community members are invited to add their foot and tire prints to connect the designs. Chalk will be available on Atlantic Drive outside of the College of Computing. Free helmets for participants in the online Ride Smart Bike/Scooter Safety Class will also be available for pickup.  

Shared Path Safety Reminders 

• Whether riding, walking, or rolling, minizine distractions such as phones and earphones, and focus on your surroundings. 
• Riders should travel at an appropriate speed for sharing the path with pedestrians.  
• Pedestrians should walk toward the outside of the path; riders should pass on the left. 
• Riders should announce that they are passing by ringing their bell or saying, “On your left.” 
• Riders should allow at least 3 feet of clearance when passing. 
• Before entering a path or changing directions on a path, riders and pedestrians should check in all directions for other people. 
• Additional riding safety information can be found at bike.gatech.edu.  

Riding Resources on Campus 

• Helmets are available for $12 from the Parking and Transportation Services (PTS) customer service center in the Tech Square parking deck, just inside the Spring Street entrance. 
• The monthly, in-person City Cycling class from PTS and Propel Atlanta provides students with the opportunity to ride on the road with an experienced instructor. The next class is Thursday, Oct. 27. 
• Help with bike maintenance and repairs is available from Aztec Cycles at the Community Market on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Starter Bikes on Fridays from 4 to 7 p.m. 
• The student organization Starter Bikes offers group rides and classes on Thursdays. Follow them on Discord for event information. 
• With the completion of the construction of the Campus Center, 39 new bike racks will be added north of the Ramblin’ Wreck garage, in addition to smaller clusters of racks located throughout the area.  

For more ways to safely ride around campus, visit campusservices.gatech.edu/news/maximize-your-campus-commute.