10th Street Cycle Track Causing Traffic Headache in Midtown

Earlier this month, the city of Atlanta opened a two-way cycle track along a portion of 10th Street near Piedmont Park, that created a dedicated and separated route for safe bike travel between Monroe Drive and Charles Allen Drive in Midtown.

In doing so, one of the two westbound lanes that motorists utilized on 10th was eliminated and that has some folks scratching their heads. As one Patch user commented recently at the site, “Leave it to Atlanta to get it wrong here. I just have to wonder who is responsible for this shortsighted decision.”

The issue is that with the intersection of Charles Allen and 10th for westbound motorists reduced to a single lane, whenever a vehicle needs to turn left onto Charles Allen, traffic begins to back up extensively as far back as Monroe. Sometimes during peak travel times in the day, it takes several traffic signal cycles for some motorists to get through the intersection.

The backup adds to additional traffic issues at Monroe and 10th and Monroe and Virginia Avenue, where poorly timed lights help lead to clogged traffic.

There's no doubt that cyclists are enjoying the dedicated cycle track and future phases of the project, portions of which are scheduled for construction later this year, will extend the track from Charles Allen to Myrtle Street and eventually onto Peachtree Street.

The city indicated that despite just one westbound travel lane dedicated to motorists, “traffic studies demonstrate the roadway can still operate at an acceptable level for motorists.”

Do you agree with the city’s assessment?