Atlanta — May 21, 2025
Ride a bike to work? These ARC Pedal Pushers do! Last week was Bike to Work Week, so ARC Staffer, Sheryl Merritt, asked our riders to answer a few questions about their commute, what influenced them, and what are some of the benefits.
But first, here are a few stats about bike riders in our region. During the Million Air Challenge (April 1, 2025-April 30), there were:
(Source: My GCO Users)
Numbers from GA rides as of last week (based on people registered in the system):
Program Administrator, Mobility Services + Georgia Commute Options
Driving to work in Atlanta is exhausting. It’s slow, stressful, and frustrating. I started bike commuting because I enjoyed riding my bike and found that it made my commute fun. Of course it’s nice to get my heart moving a bit, to feel the weather of the day and save a lot of money over the course of a year as well!
About 15 years
Pretty much, I can catch a bus if the weather is bad, but the alternative would be driving in traffic and paying to park and that seems worse than getting wet or being cold!
4 miles each way
So many ways – I feel more awake, my body feels better, I’m less stressed.
Definitely, for anyone who lives within a few miles of work or has a good route. And the option of using an e-bike, which can make it easier and more fun, is one folks should keep in mind. They’re pricey, but less than the cost of paying for parking for a year!
100%, not even close.
Definitely – the stress of traffic and the cost of parking are big factors. The freedom and joy of driving do not exist in commuting!
If you aren’t sure, ask someone who bike commutes! They are always glad to help you navigate a route, finding a good bike, trying it out, etc. How often do you run into someone who wants to take time out of their day to encourage you to drive by yourself down 75/85?
Senior Planner, Transportation Planning
I would say my desire to bike for more than recreation started with college.
In a geography class, a classmate was presenting on his study abroad in Amsterdam. This was circa 2010 and compared to today, there was nearly zero bike infrastructure in Boston. What stuck out was the focus on infrastructure development and of the sheer size of these projects – think highways for bicycles instead of riding on the sidewalk or the shoulder of a lane.
Other developments in my life would shape my thinking of bikes too, my university student led bike share program (bikes weren’t amazing) and my internship (commuted literally 1.5 miles via bus).
In time, with my work at the City of Boston, I helped to increase ridership by making riding easier as the city grew. For example, Boston wanted to increase ridership from 2% of the city population to 8% and outlined all the items needed to do that in infrastructure investments. This really changed my view of what I could use bicycles for.
I am new to Atlanta and living in Grant Park really helped me.
I ride to work every day. I was featured in my Introduction email that I biked to work that day.
Yes, except for rain. When this happens, I figure out what my options are. Most of the time it includes an Uber, taking MARTA, or driving.
My bike commute is about 2 miles, it’s quicker to bike vs. driving, walking, or taking Marta if you average in the time to get to your car, find a spot to park, and walk to your destination. Door to door for me is roughly 10 minutes.
On the way home, I sometimes add a ride up and down the Beltline to hit the Kroger and/or the Trader Joes once or twice each week.
Physically, I wish my bike ride was a little longer! I literally hop on and hop off my bike during my commute. If it were a little longer, I could have my heart rate go up more.
Mentally, it’s stimulating because it helps me think about my city differently. I bump into a lot of people, neighbors, advocates, people I work with in a different way – which is super nice!
I would love to bike with someone! I used to bike to work with a friend in Midtown and they’d drop me off enroute. During the ride, we’d catch up about the week. It would also be safer to bike with a few people and/or see other bikers. It’s like we’re part of a special group!
Yes, I do! It’s quicker for me.
Yes! Except for rainy days. With the money people pay to park downtown, I could get a steak dinner somewhere … maybe two steak dinners 😉
I also have a normal bike and most recently purchased an e-bike.
I would love to talk more about biking in general! I understand there are a lot of small steps to getting to the point of biking to work. In my journey, it took a few years to perceive that I could do more than bike for recreation. After I changed that mentality, I had to outfit my bike to carry a backpack or two, lights, etc.
Currently I am working on building a community of bikers, especially since it gets me outside and social!
Communications Director, Office of External Affairs
I had long been interested in biking to work, but the heat and hills made it difficult until I got an e-bike a few years ago. With the e-bike, bicycling to work is a breeze and is one of the best parts of my day.
About three years
Yes, every day that I am in the office, weather permitting – on average, is three times a week.
Six miles, which takes about 30 minutes.
Riding my bicycle is one of the only times of the day that I am truly checked out from electronic devices. It’s an amazing boost for my mental health.
I would, but I would recommend doing so if they had access to good bike lane infrastructure.
Yes, absolutely. Driving can be stressful. And while driving may be quicker some days, when you factor in the unpredictability of traffic congestion and the time it takes to get into a parking deck, bicycling becomes competitive on time, too.
Yes.
The weather’s clearing up and temps are on the rise. Riding a bike to work is a great way to get some exercise, enjoy the fresh air, and help reduce pollution in our region.
If you missed the Million Air Challenge – don’t fret. You can log your rides during the GA Ride Month Challenge, hosted by Georgia Commute Options, for a chance to win awesome prizes—like a $1,000 gift card. Just sign up at GArides.com.
Enjoy the rest of National Bike Month! Get Your Roll On!
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