Meet Tim
As an Assistant Professor of City and Regional Planning at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Tim Welch knows a thing or two about transportation and the importance of adhering to a schedule. Tim is an expert in the field of transportation & land use policy, planning & forecasting and freight, holding graduate degrees in both law and urban planning.
For the past seven years, Tim has lived in East Lake with his wife and two toddlers, owning two bikes and only one car. Yeah, you read that right.
Tim’s Daily Commute
From his home in East Lake, Tim bikes his children to daycare first thing in the morning. After that, he either finishes the day from his home office or bikes to the East Lake Marta station, locks up his bike and catches the train into the city, jumping off at the North Ave station and walking to Midtown for work.
“Dropping my kids off at school is quite easily the most enjoyable part of my commute – the combination of being outside, spending time with my little ones and fitting in a workout can’t be beat,” admitted Welch. “We have a cargo bike that fits the two of them perfectly – and the large bike racks at the Marta stop make it easy to lock up the cargo bike before I head toward Midtown for work.”
With the construction boom in Midtown, Tim’s commute via single occupancy vehicle would likely take an hour – or more. But, with cycling and MARTA, he’s door to door in about 25 minutes.
Tim’s passion for transit and urban planning emerged when he was living in Detroit, where he had to take two entirely different bus systems just to get to the grocery store. Most of Tim’s students at Georgia Tech share this passion – and bring this same energy and support for alternate modes of transportation to the classroom. Once a week, he structures his lecture around Atlanta’s current construction and urban planning happenings, ultimately framing a research project that the whole class accomplishes together.
Tim’s ability to juggle his family responsibilities with his commitment to clean commute serve as a good reminder that with a little planning, those option are more feasible than many think.
“I want to bust the myth that if you have kids, there’s not other options,” Welch voiced. “There are many options out there, the biggest hurdle people face is just trying it one time.”
Tim’s Commute Tips
- Leave early in the morning to avoid the heat.
- Be prepared with snacks, water and wipes if riding with toddlers.
- Double check the bike racks if riding a cargo bike – sometimes they can be too small.
Although Biketober 2019 is coming to an end, that doesn’t mean that your bike commuting needs to be! Consider ways to integrate biking into your daily commute all year long. And, check out our Ways to Get Around page for other clean commute options available in the metro Atlanta area.
Look out for more #CommuterStories this Fall!