See you at the CAT System Redesign Launch & Open House Jan. 15

The Chatham Area Transit Authority announced its Let’s Go! Designing Better Transit Together initiative, which will result in a system-wide redesign of the community’s fixed-route bus network. Residents are invited to learn more and provide early feedback at the first community open house on January 15, 2019.

Let’s Go! Community Open House

Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2019, 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Coastal Georgia Center, Room 113, 305 Fahm St, Savannah, GA

(Drop-In Format – A brief presentation, with Q&A, will start at 5:30 p.m.)

The meeting will be an open house format and community members are welcome to stop by at their convenience. During the open house, residents can learn more about the initiative as well as provide input through interactive stations and discussions.

In addition to the open house, an online webinar will be presented on Wednesday, January 23, 2019 from noon to 1 p.m.  To register for the online webinar, send an email to letsgo@catchacat.org and a link will be provided.

The Let’s Go! Designing Better Transit Together system redesign project will rely heavily on input from the community. The initiative will feature a dedicated webpage, three online surveys, and a series of community meetings.  The project schedule is anticipated to conclude at the end of 2019. Click here to learn more information.

Today is for Riding #3: Billy J.

The Savannah Bicycle Campaign is featuring people who ride their bikes for work, play — and everything in-between. They may ride rain or shine, or they may hit two wheels on the weekends. But no matter what, they know what they love about riding in Savannah — and what can be improved.

Follow along on our blog and our Instagram account as we share some top shots they’ve taken from behind their handlebars, their favorite things about riding in our beautiful city, and their hopes and dreams for the future of bicycling in Savannah.

Interested in sharing your story? Email info@bicyclecampaign.org.

After all, #TodayIsForRiding.

Dr. Billy Jamerson started riding a bicycle as a child growing up in downtown Savannah.  Taking a break to begin his dental career and raising a family, he forgot about the joy and fun of cycling. In fact for several years, he didn’t cycle at all!

Then about six years ago, his daughter Beth encouraged him to start walking around Lake Mayer. This led to faster walking and eventually running.  Along the way while recovering from plantar fasciitis he rediscovered the childhood joys of cycling Savannah. He often rides several times a month between ten and fifty miles each ride.

“Cycling is a great way to stay young and ride like you did when you were a kid — but this time in spandex! Its like being forever young.”

What are your favorite rides? 1) Slow ride on Washington Avenue to Habersham downtown around the downtown squares on a lazy Sunday morning onto Burnside Island pass Isle of Hope, Wormsloe and Bethesda. 2) Enjoying the early morning sun rise and late evening sunsets. 3) Discovering new rides in distant cities offer great ways to tour and see the world. 4) Riding with groups of cyclists over greater distance.

Billy says… Savannah with its mostly flat terrain is geographically easy to ride.  The streets downtown offer a perfect way to exercise and enjoy the innate beauty of the parks punctuated with centuries old trees.   The flow of tourists, students and locals scurrying around makes downtown an effervescent magnet for pedestrians appreciating the areas deep and rich history. Each day the dynamics change and are never the same.  The outlying county is also mostly flat offering excellent coastal views and intimate retreats with nature.

What could be improved? Savannah’s original historic street design offers an excellent plan to stimulate biking and pedestrian safety. 1) Establish a safe network of trails or routes to interconnect different parts of county.  2) Construct strategic routes downtown with protected cycling lanes. 3) Join cities like Atlanta, Columbus, and Athens committed to paths, trails and complete streets safer for pedestrians, runners and cyclists alike.  4) Become a leader in decreasing accidents and slowing vehicular traffic downtown to promote a safer and more fluid movement of people.

Today is for Riding #2: Jen, @jen_colestock

The Savannah Bicycle Campaign is featuring people who ride their bikes for work, play — and everything in-between. They may ride rain or shine, or they may hit two wheels on the weekends. But no matter what, they know what they love about riding in Savannah — and what can be improved.

Follow along on our blog and our Instagram account as we share some top shots they’ve taken from behind their handlebars, their favorite things about riding in our beautiful city, and their hopes and dreams for the future of bicycling.

Interested in sharing your story? Email info@bicyclecampaign.org.

After all, #TodayIsForRiding.

Our next feature is on bicycle rider extraordinaire (and former New Standard Cycles program manager) Jen Colestock. Jen shares photos of her daily life and commute in Savannah in addition to her long-distance travels on her account @jen_coleslaw. Recently she completed a 2-day ride from Atlanta to Savannah that took her through 26 degree mornings, a 6500 foot elevation change and a frozen camelback over the course of 250 miles.

Jen says… what I love about biking to work is the sounds and smells of the city. I’ve had commutes that led me past coffee roasters, herbal and floral community gardens, music venues and street musicians. I’ve had commutes home during the summer where I’ve ridden through sprinklers. And almost every single commute I ride with or pass people I know.

What could be better? I think that the city has taken some measures for cyclists, like creating a few bike lanes, but those of us that depend on bikes as our sole form of transportation can easily get stuck in the downtown area. It takes a lot of experience and confidence to feel comfortable braving the choke points of Savannah’s infrastructure, where cyclists are forced on busy highways or under underpasses to get to or from work. I look forward to seeing projects like the East Coast Greenway and the Truman Greenway come into being.

Interested in sharing your story? Email info@bicyclecampaign.org.

Today is for Riding #1: Gordon, @SavannahBikeCommuter

The Savannah Bicycle Campaign will be doing a new feature on people who ride their bikes for work, play — and everything in-between. They may ride rain or shine, or they may hit two wheels on the weekends. But no matter what, they know what they love about riding in Savannah — and what can be improved.

Follow along on our blog and our Instagram account as we share some top shots they’ve taken from behind their handlebars, their favorite things about riding in our beautiful city, and their hopes and dreams for the future of bicycling.

Interested in sharing your story? Email info@bicyclecampaign.org.

After all, #TodayIsForRiding.

“Waiting, waiting, waiting…”

Our first feature is on SBC Volunteer of the Year Gordon Parks. Gordon shares photos of his multi-modal bike and ferry commute under the account @SavannahBikeCommuter, where he rides from South of Forsyth to across the Savannah River. His daily posts demonstrate the need for better, more connected facilities in our community — especially for those approaching areas like Bay and River Streets.

Gordon says: “I enjoy riding my bike to work because it allows me to see Savannah unobstructed by car/truck side pillars, windshields, or roofs. In a car or truck there are so many distractions and I have to be on the watch out constantly for pedestrians, cyclists, and other vehicles. When I’m on a bike I get to relax my use of visual sense and use more of my hearing and sense of smell.”

“It allows me to take in the beauty and uniqueness of Savannah that you miss from a vehicle.”


What does Gordon wish for? “I would love to see all of the Lincoln St. bike lane re-paved and protected… and some smoother ramps or walkways down to River St. A smoother multi-use path on the right or left of each ramp would go a long way. Many times I watch parents with strollers trying to make their way down…most of the times they pick their kids up out of the stroller to prevent the cobble stones from jarring them awake.”

Interested in sharing your story? Email info@bicyclecampaign.org.

Ride together on the Third Annual Savannah CycloFemme Sunday, May 10

“Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. It gives women a feeling of freedom and self-reliance. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel…the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood.”
— Susan B. Anthony

Ride together with the Savannah Bicycle Campaign on Sunday, May 10 for the Third Annual Savannah CycloFemme. The ride will start at 2 p.m. at SBC HQ located at 1301 A Lincoln Street and end at the south end of Forsyth Park (Park Avenue and Bull Street). The ride will be approximately 6 miles and be great for beginners, commuters, racers and everyone in between!

CycloFemme is a Global Women’s Cycling Day created TO HONOR THE PAST and the emancipation of our grandmothers and great-grandmothers, for the freedom to choose and the chance to wear pants. TO CELEBRATE THE PRESENT and the riders who keep it rolling, bringing women’s racing to the forefront, pushing the limits, breaking down barriers and sharing the love of the bike with everyone along the way. TO EMPOWER THE FUTURE of women in cycling and the opportunity for positive social change.

Click here to RSVP »