Politics & Government

Midtown No Cruising Signs Changing

"Secret Atlanta" website describes city street prostitution as being concentrated in Midtown among other areas.

Today’s Midtown Patch Picture of Day comes by way of the Atlanta City Council’s recent approval to extend Midtown’s no-cruising ordinance by three hours.

The extension came about from a proposal by District 2 Councilman Kwanza Hall in an effort to help combat the persistent prostitution issue around residences and businesses in Midtown.

The former no-cruising zone ordinance, which made it illegal to pass a control point more than twice within a two-hour period, extended from 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. But as many Midtowners know, those early morning hours just before sunrise are very active for prostitution in the area.

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Under the new ordinance, the new no-cruising ordinance will be in effect until 7 a.m. It doesn’t take effect until the posted signs have been changed accordingly. As one can see by this photo taken Wednesday on Juniper Street, some of those Midtown signs have been changed. But not all.

Midtown has been plagued with pockets of prostitution for decades. No cruising zones in Midtown include:

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· Cypress Street 5th Street to Peachtree Place // Cypress Street Peachtree Street to West Peachtree Street // Seventh Street West Peachtree Street to Peachtree Street

· Piedmont Park - 10th Street Monroe and Piedmont Avenue // Piedmont Avenue 10th to Monroe

· Midtown - 4th Street // 5th Street // 6th Street // Charles Allen Drive // Vedado Way // Lakeview Avenue // St. Charles Avenue // St. Charles Way // Ponce De Leon Court // Greenwood Avenue // Monroe Circle // Ponce De Leon Avenue // Durant Place // Argonne Avenue // Myrtle Street

There’s a website called Secret Atlanta, which claims to present a “collection of links to the interesting and unusual Atlanta entertainment and attractions that few visitors ever see during a typical visit.”

Some of the categories listed with links include, “Swingers”, “Alt Sex”, and “Nudist.”

There’s even a section on the home page listing Atlanta spots for prostitutes. According to the site:

Local street prostitutes are concentrated in Midtown, at the neighborhood's southern end, between Fourth Street and Ponce de Leon Avenue. The southwest Atlanta neighborhoods of Pittsburgh, Metropolitan and McDaniel are also favorite spots. There are a lot of hookers hanging around the Travelodge Atlanta Six Flags, in southwest Atlanta. 

Transgender prostitutes frequent Piedmont Avenue and 3rd, 4th and Juniper streets. Young, gay men frequent the MARTA station along 10th Street and Peachtree Place. 

The going rate is between $20 and $40. Law enforcement activity increases dramatically during the summer.

The site goes on to say that it does not endorse sex with prostitutes for various reasons, including the fact that soliciting street prostitutes for sex is illegal and dangerous.

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