Athens shows up for Prince Avenue bike lanes, LGBTQ+ community

Athens residents showed up at city hall in force this week to support protected bike lanes along Prince Avenue, the LGBTQ+ community and ranked-choice voting.

Sixty residents spoke for an hour and forty minutes in total, with fifty-nine of them speaking in favor of one or more of the items listed above. Only one resident spoke in opposition to any of them. This was the largest public turnout in recent memory at a government meeting where no votes were scheduled.

Contents
Prince Avenue
Resolutions for the LGBTQ+ community and ranked choice voting

Prince Avenue

With Prince Avenue scheduled for repaving soon, the ACC Commission has an opportunity to make some changes to the road’s current three-lane configuration. ACC staff are proposing a number of changes for the corridor, including new green infrastructure and stormwater improvements at the Cobb Street intersection, realigning the Pulaski Street intersection (see below) and some crosswalk improvements.

They’re also proposing upgrading the protected bike lanes along Prince Avenue from the current rubber “zippers” to a permanent, curb-like concrete barrier. All of these improvements would be paid for out of TSPLOST 2018.

Normally, an agenda item like this would receive little attention from the public and would pass unanimously. The commission has already voted to make the three-lane configuration of Prince Avenue permanent back in 2022; this vote only concerns a few additional improvements to that configuration.

But after a rumor spread on social media that the commission might try to bring back Prince’s old four-lane configuration, residents of the corridor packed city hall to praise the current three-lane configuration and ask that it be continued.

“It’s kind of amazing. Not only has this [three-lane] street made for less crashes and more safety, it’s actually making us a little bit more friendly,” said transportation safety advocate and Prince Avenue resident Tony Eubanks.

“It has been incredible to not fear my life on that road,” said Kevin Bond, who lives nearby. “Protected bike lanes [are] the only way forward and the idea to go backwards makes no sense to me.”

A long parade of speakers praised the three-lane configuration with no one speaking in opposition. Some residents focused their comments on the improved feeling of safety they now have along the road, whether they walk, bike or drive. Others focused on the benefits for Prince Avenue businesses, especially for restaurants with outdoor seating. Still others mentioned that they now feel safe to allow their children to walk to school for the first time.

Car traffic has not been significantly hindered by the change to three lanes. ACC staff report that they’ve seen no noticeable traffic diversion to nearby streets and that all intersections are operating at an “acceptable” level of service.

Despite the rumor, ACC Commissioners appear to be in favor of continuing the current configuration of the road.

“It’s clear that this project has been a success,” said Commissioner Melissa Link. “I use these bike lanes every other day. I get back and forth to my job on campus on them and they’ve been transformational.”

Commissioner Jesse Houle even asked if the project could be extended all the way down Prince Avenue to Normaltown, something which would require the approval of the Georgia Department of Transportation.

Only Commissioner Dexter Fisher expressed any concerns about the current design of the road, saying that sometimes it’s difficult to make a left-hand turn going westward on Prince from Hill, Cobb or Harris Street. He also wanted ACC staff to check if emergency responders have still been able to access the road since it was changed to three lanes.

The ACC Commission will vote on the Prince Avenue safety improvements on December 3.

Resolutions for the LGBTQ+ community and ranked choice voting

The ACC Commission is also considering a pair of resolutions, one in support of the LGBTQ+ community and the other in favor of ranked choice voting.

A resolution is a non-binding statement without the force of law that allows the commission to express their opinion on a range of topics. In the past, commissioners have issued resolutions in support of recognition and redress for the former residents of Linnentown, support for the immigrant community and also one expressing their commitment to achieve 100% renewable energy.

The resolutions currently under consideration would label Athens as a “safe haven for the LGBTQIA+ community” and would request that the state legislature allow Athens to enact ranked choice voting, a voting system which would eliminate the need for costly runoff elections. 

Over a dozen Athens residents showed up to speak in favor of the resolution to support the LGBTQ+ community, with many of those who came out for Prince Avenue also raising their voices in support. 

Danielle Bonanno, executive director of Inclusive Recovery Athens and former president of the Athens Pride and Queer Collective, told the commission that this resolution was needed now more than ever, citing hateful legislation at the state level and the results of the recent presidential election.

“Just this year in Georgia, there were over 23 anti-LGBTQ+ pieces of legislation that were introduced at the state level,” said Bonanno. “I’m sure many of you were exposed to the incessant anti-LGBTQ+ television ads that filled all of our television screens over the past few months. We are scared. We are preparing for the worst.”

The resolution commits the local government to “creating a supportive environment where LGBTQIA+ individuals can live authentically and openly without fear.” It affirms the local government’s commitment to fight discrimination and support the mission of the ACC Human Relations Commission. It also encourages Athens law enforcement to undergo sensitivity training.

Finally, if the commission adopts the resolution, they would be proclaiming their opposition to the anti-transgender bills that have passed the Georgia legislature and those still being introduced. 

Despite the outpouring of community support for the LGBTQ+ community at this meeting, one member of the Athens GOP was strongly opposed to the resolution, arguing that it was not relevant to local government functions and that it would cause division.

“On the highway called life, we are compelled to stay in our lane,” said Joan Rhoden. “You’re fearmongering and creating division by the very nature of this resolution…It is nothing more than a Judas kiss. You’re creating a war of betrayal.”

Rhoden also spoke against ranked choice voting, saying that it would lead to “mob rule.”

Commission opinion

Commissioners were generally in support of the ranked choice voting resolution, although Fisher wanted to send it to the ACC Board of Elections for review before voting.

Similarly, most were in favor of the resolution to support the LGBTQ+ community, although a couple commissioners did express opposition. Commissioner John Culpepper felt that the resolution was not needed because the local government already has a department tasked with ensuring equity and inclusion.

“I feel like this is a redundant resolution,” said Culpepper. “We’ve created [the Department of People and Belonging] to handle this. Is the department not doing what they need to be doing?”

Fisher wanted to send the resolution to the ACC Human Relations Commission for review before voting on it. Going further, he said he didn’t think the ACC Commission should express support for only one marginalized community at a time.

“I support our community, but as a Black man in this country, having been called the N word, been called all kinds of things, you know, if we’re going to create a resolution [I want us to] include people, all protected groups,” said Commissioner Fisher.

Commissioner Patrick Davenport disagreed with Fisher, saying that support for the Black community could be expressed in a separate resolution as the commission has done in the past.

“I believe and I hope and pray – as a Christian man, I love all of God’s kids – that we show respect to the LGBTQIA community by passing this resolution,” Davenport said. “Now, if there are other marginalized groups out there who feel they need a resolution, please bring it forward.”

Davenport, Link and Houle were the commissioners most strongly in support of all who were present. In fact, Houle assisted with the drafting of the resolution.

Commissioner Ovita Thornton said she supported both resolutions, but expressed frustration that her colleagues were writing resolutions and bringing them forward quickly without a special process or committee review.

“Commissioner Houle’s acknowledgement that he [emphasis added] helped edit this resolution is even more reason we need to have a process,” Thornton said before turning to face Houle directly. “I really would have appreciated knowing this was something you were championing before last night.”

Email records from February show that Thornton has had months of advance notice about this resolution.

Houle responded to commissioners wanting to send the matter to committee, urging them to go ahead and make their opinions known to the public.

“If this is our opinion, if everybody behind this rail really feels this way [and supports the LGBTQ+ community], it shouldn’t be hard to just say ‘aye’ and move on,” Houle said.

Houle also asked Thornton to stop misgendering them during their discussions.

“I’ve bit my tongue for four years, but I’ll go ahead and say it in a meeting finally. My pronouns are they/them,” Houle said, showing a bit of frustration. “I’ve said this to each colleague here. It’s been written in multiple emails by me and other colleagues.”

The commission will decide whether to support these resolutions on December 3, unless they delay the vote or send it to committee.

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