Our Achievements

Active advocacy by Fayette Biking for Life members calling for bicycle facilities and safety improvements led to an initial county-wide bicycle plan including construction of a path along Redwine Road to connect Fayetteville to Kiwanis Park funded in part by the 2004 SPLOST.  The 2010 Fayette Forward Comprehensive Transportation Plan included a revised Bicycle and Multi-Use Path Framework Plan greatly expanded the necessary community improvement projects.  

Fayette Biking for Life encouraged numerous first actions to be taken. Fayette County Public Works installed Share the Road signs on popular rural roads frequented by bicyclists. Peachtree City designated two bicycle routes and marked it's first on road bicycle lanes. Fayetteville had bicycle lanes and side paths added during a downtown improvement project.  The first edition of the Georgia Bicycle Law Enforcement Pocket Guide from Georgia Bikes! was distributed to each law enforcement agency in Fayette.

Local mountain bikers approached the newly established SouthSide Cycling Club to adopt their unofficial efforts using existing dirt roads and trails in Peachtree City to create an extended trail system nicknamed the "Stinky Trail." The Club obtained a memorandum of agreement in 2010 with Peachtree City and developed the first Peachtree City Mountain Bike Master Plan in 2014. The trail system was improved with trailhead kiosk, trail markings, bridges and a trail guide published. City support was lost in late 2014 when it was realized that hikers and bikers were also traveling on private property without prior easement approval. This led to the immediate removal of almost all trail improvements. Most trails were erased over time by property development and paving of the Flat Creek multi-use path segment.

The Southern Conservation Trust managed the Peachtree City nature areas by agreement with the City. The initial Line Creek Nature Area and Flat Creek Nature Area trails were created by social hikers without design or marking. This changed after 2010, when the Southern Conservation Trust began to focus on improvements.  The Mule Rock Trail and the Creek Trail were cleared, trail erosion corrected, with trail signs, bridges, benches, kiosk and an outdoor arena constructed with Eagle Scout and community service projects, with most projects managed and supported with material donations by SouthSide Cycling Club volunteers.  

The SouthSide Cycling Club entered into a memorandum of agreement with the Southern Conservation Trust in 2012 to design and construct a natural surface multi-use trail system at the newly designated Ridge Nature Area in Fayetteville. During this time, Bike Fayette assumed a lead volunteer project manager role, and the Club provided both volunteers and material support for the construction and trail maintenance projects.  A 6-plus mile trail system with trail markers, bridges, trail head kiosk, benches, picnic tables, and backcountry campsite with latrine were completed for the opening. Nearly 500 volunteers contributing almost 2,000 service hours including 13 Boy Scout and Girl Scout service projects along with $70,000 in donations and in-kind contributions were needed to get The Ridge ready to open.

Bike Fayette promoted National Trail Day and other community service days for four years as a means to generate large volunteer participation and complete significant trail construction service projects at the Ridge Nature Area.  

Bike Fayette introduced Outdoor Ethics Principles and education materials from Leave No Trace and Tread Lightly to the Southern Conservation Trust. The Principles were incorporated into trail rule signs and map guides at SCT nature areas including the Ridge, Line Creek, Sam's Lake and at the SouthSide Cycling Club managed PAC Trails.  The Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers provided a week of local program support to Fayette County Nature Areas and Recreation Managers as part of the 2016 Hot Spot Program.

Peachtree City was first recognized as a Bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Community in November 2014. The successful effort was led by Bike Fayette and the SouthSide Cycling Club to gather the necessary information for the application and build the support of the local bicycle community. The City has renewed this recognition in 2019 and again in 2024.

The Fayette County Chamber led a community effort to create a Visioning Plan in 2014 to set specific goals, objectives and tactics for creating the future that Fayette County desires. The Implementing Phase included a series of stakeholder meetings to develop detailed recommendations and the means to complete. Bike Fayette actively participated, proposing many projects that were developed during 2016 into the next SPLOST.  Georgia Bikes was invited to a "Places" stakeholder meeting focused on improving bicycling to share Complete Streets guidelines, planning bicycle infrastructure and bicycle safety.

Peachtree City renamed the Baseball Soccer Complex (BSC) to the Peachtree City Athletic Complex (PAC).  The natural surface multi-use trails at the BSC were also renamed as the PAC Trails.  An Eagle Scout project and several community service projects sponsored by the SouthSide Cycling Club installed new trail marker posts, a landmark mid-park sign post and upgraded the trails. 

 Fayette County voters approved a six-year Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) on March 21, 2017 during a State of Georgia Special Election. The sales tax will be collected from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2023. The vote cast by 11% of registered resident voters was 69.5% YES, and 30.5% NO.  Bike Fayette had a significant role in providing input for beneficial bicycle and pedestrian projects and then promoting the SPLOST to the active community for the beneficial path and road improvements.

Bike-Walk Fayette testified to the Senate Committee on Transportation for changes to the proposed House Bill HB 1009 that would authorize the use of robotic vehicles to transport cargo on public streets, roads, paths and sidewalks. Important safety measures were added as a result, requiring the personal delivery device to yield right of way to pedestrians or an individual in a wheelchair on a sidewalk, and to admit a sound when approaching within six feet. 

This project was identified by Bike-Walk Fayette in the Active Community Action Plan for Peachtree City, developed during the 2022 Georgia Walking College. Accessible routes to City parks were not identified on paths from designated accessible parking. AARP provided a project mini-grant, and SouthSide Support acted as grant manager. Routes were marked at six City parks, and substantial improvements made at Somerby Woods Nature Area including adding trail signposts, a new observation point, two trailhead entries, and painting the trail benches and trail head kiosk.  "Paths to the Future in Peachtree City" was highlighted in the America Walks 2023 Report - Storied from the State Walking College.  AARP also created a 3-minute video about this project and included it in a 2023 Webinar "The Benefits of Walkable Streets for All Ages."

 Fayette County residents approved the 2023 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) with 73 percent of voters saying yes. Bicyclists, pedestrians and those using alternative transportation modes will greatly benefit from the numerous road and path projects.  Bike-Walk Fayette again had been active in promoting specific community improvement projects and also in encouraging residents to participate in voting in social media. 

Bike-Walk Fayette returned focus on the PAC Trails with other SouthSide Cycling Club members to freshen up the trailhead kiosk with a coat of paint, install additional trailhead signposts, and distribute ground cover over bare approaches.

Cub Scout Pack 75 invited Bike-Walk Fayette to support their community youth bike rodeo.  Also participating were the Peachtree City Police Department, Senoia Bicycle, Georgia Safe Routes to Schools, and members of the SWAY Mountain Biking Club.

 The Peachtree City Council approved on June 24, 2024 Ordinance 1221 for forming a new Transportation Advisory Group to help mitigate conflicts on the paths and roadways within Peachtree City. Bike-Walk Fayette has been proposing since 2014 that Peachtree City formalize this group to address all transportation related resident safety concerns and to improve local conditions for bicycling and walking.  The new TAG meeting schedule can be followed at the Peachtree City website.

An Eagle Scout project constructed new roofs for two trail head kiosks at the Somerby Woods Nature Area in Peachtree City. The kiosk roof deficiencies were noted during the 2022 Walk Audit of City parks.  Bike-Walk Fayette served as the project coach for the City Recreation and Special Events Department and supplied construction materials.