Atlanta is consistently ranked among the top cities for congestion, but new projects and a commitment to improving transportation on campus and in the city have earned Georgia Tech several honors and a reputation as a transportation infrastructure leader.
Since the celebratory opening ride, led by Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera, in August 2025, the campus cycle track has signaled a new phase of transportation at Tech. Linking the Campus Recreation Center and Tech Parkway along Ferst Drive to Tech Square, the track was named among the Best New U.S. Bike Lanes of 2025 by PeopleForBikes.
The concept for the track, which promotes eco-friendly commuting options such as bicycles, e-bikes, scooters, and skateboards, and offers a dedicated, bidirectional path separated from vehicular traffic, was developed in a 2019 award-winning senior capstone project by a group of civil engineering students.
Recognizing the Institute's leadership in creating infrastructure and public spaces that support safe, sustainable, and accessible transportation options, Propel ATL awarded Tech a 2025 Institutional Leadership in Mobility Award.
Parking and Transportation Services (PTS), together with Planning, Design, and Construction, partners with Propel ATL to conduct monthly group rides and bike safety classes, and offers an online bike and scooter safety course, in which students receive a free helmet upon completion. To date, PTS has given hundreds of free helmets to students, and the next class will take place on Wednesday, March 18. These courses, along with the Georgia Tech Police Department’s efforts to educate the campus community on the safe use of micromobility, have helped Tech create a model for the city in micromobility safety and access.
The Institute has also been recognized by Georgia Commute Options as one of Metro Atlanta’s top 5 best workplaces for commuters. The group highlights Tech’s partnership with the Midtown Alliance as an example of how the Institute “plays a critical role in advancing sustainable commuting both on campus and across Midtown Atlanta” through subsidized transit passes, extensive bike infrastructure, on-site showers and changing areas for cyclists, a robust campus shuttle network, carpool and electric vehicle parking, and dedicated transportation staff who provide personalized commute support.
PTS is continually working to promote sustainable travel to and from campus, seeking input from the community through its annual Campus Commute Survey. The survey has become increasingly revealing as campus infrastructure changes, leading to the creation of new bike storage facilities, and the results will be used in the planning phase of future projects.
In 2024, Tech retained its status as a Gold-level Bicycle Friendly University, as issued by the League of American Bicyclists. The prestigious distinction, which Tech has held since 2016, is awarded to institutions that successfully promote and establish safe and accessible campus bicycling programs and amenities.
For five consecutive years, Georgia Tech has won Love to Ride’s Atlanta Bicycle “Biketober” Challenge, with employees cycling 22,132 miles in October 2025.
“Each of these honors and awards tells us that we are moving in the right direction and are doing our part to make it easier and safer to get to our campus and move throughout it,” said Lisa Safstrom, PTS transportation program specialist. “We know we are able to take on these projects and continue to step up our efforts, and that’s because of the expertise that exists on our campus and the input we receive from the community.”