Advocating for Safer Streets in Columbus
2014: Bicycle Columbus Creates a Strategic Plan
Bicycle Columbus created a strategic plan for a consistent, holistic approach to all transportation and infrastructure projects that took vehicular and pedestrian right of way into account equally.
2014: Adoption of Columbus’ Complete Streets Policy
City council passed Resolution 92-14, authorizing a Complete Streets policy based on the statewide policy issued by the Georgia Department of Transportation. It committed Columbus to include all modes of transportation, including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, and persons with disabilities, and to encourage transportation projects to consider safety and mobility. The resolution said the city would plan for, design and build streets this way wherever practical. It adopted GDOT’s design policy for that purpose. Under GDOT’s guidelines, some exclusions apply, so the policy doesn’t automatically change every project.
2018: Amendment to the Columbus Complete Streets Policy
Supporters of the Complete Streets Policy felt the original policy was too broadly defined, and did not address specific design and aesthetic elements or clarify when and how Complete Streets should be implemented. The amendments made three major changes:
- They added specific engineering design guidelines for bike, pedestrian, and transit facilities, and recognized that aesthetic design can encourage safe and welcoming streets.
- They created an interdepartmental Complete Streets Non-Compliance Committee to make transparent the process of how roadways are selected for Complete Streets implementation.
- They required the committee to follow objective, quantifiable criteria when evaluating a corridor for the feasibility of a complete streets application. The proposal also called for an annual update on how project implementation is going.
2015: Midtown Inc. Wins a Multimodal Planning Grant
Midtown Inc. won a grant for their idea of a multimodal strategic plan for Midtown Columbus. That grant allowed for the funding of a comprehensive traffic study, analysis of the data, and an infrastructure plan for future road improvements in Midtown and beyond.
2021-2024: 13th Street Project Built
By attending meetings and calling elected officials, we were able to get the 13th Street project approved by City Council. Construction on the project began in 2021 and completed in 2024. You can view the plan from Midtown Inc.’s website here, or view the entire presentation here.
2024: Columbus Receives a Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant
The Consolidated Government of Columbus was awarded a federal SS4A action planning grant. The program funds plans to reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries for all road users.
2025: Columbus Safety Action Plan Adopted
Using the SS4A grant, the city developed a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan. It is based on crash data, roadway safety analyses, and input from residents, community organizations, and partner agencies. It identifies high-priority safety projects and recommends infrastructure, policy, and program improvements, and it supports future applications for state and federal funding. Read the Safety Action Plan or explore the SS4A map which provides Bicycle and Pedestrian crash intelligence on Columbus, GA and is sourced from GDOT.
2026: Bike and Walk Audits
Bicycle Columbus conducted our first bicycle and walk audits. These audits document existing conditions for people walking and biking along the route. Our goal was to provide practical, on-the-ground observations that can help inform the city’s and property owners’ efforts to make Columbus safer, more accessible, and easier to navigate for everyone. See the audit reports and learn more about the locations we audited here.
Today: Make Your Voice Heard
Do you know the Council member that represents your district? How about the two at large members that represent the entire city? As a consolidated government, City Council is a more influential governing body than the mayor! Make sure your Council members know that you support the interests of pedestrians and cyclists in all city planning.