written by: JOHNNY GIPSON
I
t’s an unseasonably warm day in Downtown Atlanta; instead of the usual pleasant springtime breeze associated with mid May, sweltering heat beats down on the neck of a cyclist, pedaling furiously northward. He throws a glance to his right, passing a boisterous patch of wild grass and dandelions. The whir of his bicycle wheels is juxtaposed by the gentle hum of a wasp flying past. Stopping for a moment to admire the ‘Rising Red Lotus’ mural blanketing the underpass, he realizes he’s not the only cyclist making a journey to Piedmont Park. Welcome to the Eastside Atlanta Beltline. The Atlanta Beltline is an urban redevelopment project that looks to create an interconnected
transportation hub between major communities in Atlanta while also creating multipurpose walking trails and green spaces for improved ecological diversity. The east side of the Atlanta Beltline is one of the most geographically and aesthetically diverse attractions in downtown Atlanta. The Beltline spans a considerable area, beginning slightly east of Georgia State’s campus on Edgewood Avenue and ending just north of Piedmont Park in midtown. The Beltline passes through several popular tourist locations including the Historic Fourth Ward Park, Little Five Points and Ponce de Leon Avenue. Although it is a popular location for skaters and joggers, the Beltline is dominated by cyclists due to recent expansion of marked bike lanes and trails Downtown.
photo by: allyson busch
Fixing to ride the Beltline
Mikel Madison, owner of Fixie Bicycle Gallery on Edgewood Avenue, said he could not be happier. “The Beltline and bike lane construction is absolutely necessary for Atlanta,” Madison said. “Since Atlanta isn’t set up on a grid, driving a car is a huge hassle. It actually takes me longer to get to work in car than on a bike. Bike riding is the future of transportation in Atlanta.” Madison has been the premiere custom bicycle maker in Atlanta since 2009, specializing in flamboyant and unorthodox fixed gear bicycle design. “I started building single speed bikes because they were simple and had a lot of style to them,” Madison said. “I’m a graphic design and brand management guy, so I wanted to sell a product that could be utilized in the urban environment