Skip to Content
Streetsblog California home
Streetsblog California home
Log In
Streetsblog USA

Advice for Turning Dangerous State Roads Into Safe City Streets

Many city streets like Memorial Drive in Atlanta, above, are controlled by state DOTs, which makes it harder — but not impossible — to make walking and biking safer. Photo: ThreadATL

It's extra challenging to redesign a city street for safe walking and biking when that street is controlled by the state DOT. State highway departments tend to be concerned primarily with funneling cars long distances -- not creating streets that meet local needs.

That's the case with Memorial Drive in Atlanta, a dangerous state road that runs more than five miles across the city. Despite a general consensus that the street should be safer for walking, several patchwork local plans have yet to comprehensively address the hazards. But now an effort to tie everything together and work with the state DOT on the whole length of this urban thoroughfare is making headway.

Darin Givens of ThreadATL interviewed Greg Giuffrida of Central Atlanta Progress, who is leading the campaign to overhaul Memorial Drive. He offered this advice:

With [Georgia DOT], it’s difficult to go to them and say ‘we want to change this one mile of road’ -- they look at the whole route. They’re running a statewide and regional transportation network. And if you’re not framing things in a way that responds to that, you’re probably not going to have as much luck as you could in getting the kinds of changes you want to see on the road.

The full post is well worth a read for anyone working to change a state road that runs through your neighborhood. Givens concludes with these thoughts:

Neighborhoods have to follow a separate route -- often a long and complex one -- to get changes made to those state routes. Sometimes you have to work through the local community improvement district as a channel for public engagement, rather than city officials. For the sake of safety and good connections for pedestrians and cyclists, it’s worth the effort. We shouldn’t throw our hands up and say “well it’s a state road, so we’re helpless.” But we have to know the differences and the details in order to make our voices heard and our efforts count.

More recommended reading today: Pricetags considers how streets designed for speed are especially unforgiving for people who use wheelchairs. And the Urban Edge reports on a study of job access challenges for carless workers in greater San Diego.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog California

Monday’s Headlines

The news didn't slow down over the weekend.

July 7, 2025

The Single Most Important Element In Creating Good Cities

A lot of U.S. cities are getting their "right of way" all wrong — and urbanists can help by getting to know this poorly-understood concept.

July 6, 2025

Reclaiming Streets from ICE with Music, Dance, Altars, Mutual Aid, Community, and Resistance

The Mariachi Plaza event was one of four held across LA. Tuesday night. The June 19 abduction of street vendor Emma de Paz from the Hollywood Home Depot was a touchstone of the Eastside gathering.

July 4, 2025

Wednesday’s Headlines

A larger than usual headlines stack as we careen towards the 4th of July.

July 2, 2025

Inner Richmond Parents Fed Up with SFMTA Watering Down Safety

Mother of a child hit by a driver furious with city excuses for not taking daylighting and other safety measures seriously.

July 2, 2025
See all posts