Atlanta needs a vision for pedestrian paths beyond: “well, at least there’s the Beltline.”

Our public streets should be just as welcoming for walking as the Beltline is

by Darin Givens | December 7, 2025

A couple of days ago my 816 MARTA bus never showed up so I walked to lunch down Ralph McGill Blvd, where I spotted:

A City of Atlanta vehicle parked on the sidewalk, which is a constant problem here, as you may have seen me post before (I’ve contacted the City about it but it keeps happening).

A crumbling sidewalk, though the car lanes are newly paved.

A random wheel on the sidewalk, I’m guessing a result of some collision due to driver speed or recklessness (notice the tire marks on the concrete).

This is, unfortunately, indicative of the kind of disrespect for pedestrian paths you can find throughout Atlanta. You might think: “well, at least we have the Beltline.” But I want our streets to be as nice and welcoming for pedestrians as the Beltline is. We shouldn’t think of that multi-use path as being “the one nice place to walk,” while giving a pass to the conditions of streets.

And I want the city to have leaders in the Mayor’s office who inspire us with a vision for great streets, and who explain their importance so that the whole city is on board with the need for improvements and the sacrifices that may have to come along with them. That last part is important. People will fight back against changes that benefit pedestrians, crying that it will “create a traffic hell” for drivers. Leaders should be explaining the importance of putting up with growing pains for the sake of a better city.

Atlanta needs to act like it’s a city. We seem to be competing with the suburbs in many ways — you can find unpleasant pedestrian conditions on streets, with multi-use trails off of them, in Cobb County. We shouldn’t be copying that same dichotomy in the urban center. Let the city blossom in ways that only cities can.

Our streets are the most valuable public domain we have. How we accommodate people with the biggest needs (pedestrians, people who can’t drive, disabled people on sidewalks), within this domain which we collectively own, says a lot about our culture and how we feel about each other. Let’s show some love.