OUR HISTORY

Since our founding in 2006, Georgia Bikes has worked to improve conditions for cycling across the state by hosting the annual Georgia Bike Summits, advocating for legislation that protects people who ride bikes, offering support for local advocacy efforts, and providing education programs.

2019

  • 10th Annual Georgia Bike Summit held in Atlanta
  • Bicycle Breakfast held at Georgia State Capitol
  • Worked with Rep. Hank Johnson, sponsor of HR 3663, the Complete Streets Act of 2019
  • Supported launch of Bike Walk Golden Isles advocacy organization in Glynn County
  • Georgia maintains 19th position in annual Bicycle Friendly Community rankings.
  • Partnership with 6 Gap Century and 3 Gap Fifty continues

2018

  • Georgia Bike Summit held in Athens
  • Worked on a number of legislative efforts, including the Distracted Driving law as well as the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Act and new ATL transit legislation.
  • Started to develop a statewide Bicycle Friendly Driver curriculum
  • Partnered with Bike Walk Savannah on a neighborhood street safety assessment program that can be used in communities all across the state
  • Alpharetta and Macon earn Bicycle Friendly Community designation.
  • Georgia Bikes is a sponsor and presenter at the 2018 Southeast Biking Symposium on Hilton Head Island, SC.

2017

  • Georgia Bike Summit held in Macon
  • Elliott Caldwell named executive director
  • The Complete Streets Coordinator position created to manage development, adoption, implementation, and evaluation of best practice Complete Streets policies in select municipalities within Georgia. 
  • Spoke on behalf of people on bicycles and pedestrians at the Georgia House of Representatives Distracted Driving Study Committee
  • Helped get new Complete Streets policies written and adopted in multiple Georgia cities and spoke to elected officials and staff from over 100 cities about the benefits of Complete Streets and being a bicycle-friendly community

2016

  • Safety Education Programs Manager Nedra Deadwyler named League of American Educator of the Year.
  • First ever multi-city public opinion poll on people’s attitudes toward Complete Streets policies and creating safer streets and neighborhoods for walking and biking.
  • Georgia Bike Summit on Jekyll Island
  • Partnership forged with Georgia Department of Transportation, Pedestrians Educating Drivers and Georgia Bikes to increase the safety of people who walk and ride bicycles in Georgia.
  • State Senate of Georgia passes a resolution, SR 895, recognizing the economic, health, and quality of life benefits of bicycling for the state. The resolution, drafted by Georgia Bikes, also recognizes May 2016 as National Bike Month and acknowledges the positive work of local advocacy organizations and riding clubs across Georgia.
  • Georgia Bikes builds library of radio and TV PSAs as well as graphic design resources you can adapt for local safety campaigns.

2015

  • Georgia Bike Summit held in Milledgeville
  • 10th anniversary of Georgia Rides to the Capitol
  •  Elliott Caldwell joins named new Complete Streets coordinator for the northern half of the state.
  • Nedra Deadwyler named safety education programs manager
  • Yearlong campaign to help cities throughout Georgia to adopt best practices Complete Streets policies launched with support Voices for Healthy Kids, a project of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the American Heart Association.
  • A Vote for Bikes is a Vote for Me campaign launched.

2014

  • Georgia Bike Summit held in Columbus
  • With funding from the Federal Highway Administration, and with assistance from GDOT and Alta Planning + Design, coordinated a second series of traveling workshops to share best practices for creating safe, Complete Streets
  • Assisted in planning the Georgia Trails Summit, the first state-wide trail conference in 15 years.

2013

  • Georgia Bike Summit held in Roswell
  • Jekyll Island, Savannah, and Decatur earn Bicycle Friendly Community designation
  • Defeated HB 689, which would 1) require tags and registration for bicycles, 2) remove the right to ride two abreast, 3) require bizarre spacing requirements for group rides, and 4) declare certain unrestricted public roadways “off limits” to people on bikes 
  • Georgia Bikes awards $5,000 seed grants to Bicycle Columbus, Griffin Bicycle Coalition, and WeCycle Atlanta
  • With funding from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), traveled  to cities across Georgia to educate transportation planners and engineers on Complete Streets implementation.

2012

  • Georgia Bike Summit in Augusta
  • Georgia Department of Transportation adopts Complete Streets policy
  • Georgia ranked 23rd among Bicycle Friendly States
  • Georgia Bikes awards signage grants to Albany, Savannah, and Tifton.
  • Georgia Bikes awards seed grants to Bicycling Club of Milledgeville ,Bicycle Columbus, Community Cycling Center of Valdosta, Oconee County Cycling Organization, Panther Bikes (Georgia State University), Sumter Cycling Walton Wellness Inc, WeCycle Atlanta, Wheel Movement of the CSRA

2011

  • Georgia Bike Summit in Athens
  • Georgia Bikes awards seed grants to Bicycle Improvement & Investment Committee (Georgia Tech), Bike Emory, Communicycle (Atlanta), Griffin Bicycle Coalition, Tift Area Greenway Association.

2010

  • First Georgia Bike Summit held in Savannah
  • Brent Buice named executive director

2006

  • Georgia Bikes is is incorporated as a nonprofit corporation in Georgia.

2005

  • Georgia Bikes secures nonprofit status
  • Share the Road license plates become available