Atlanta, Georgia – Four years after Atlanta voters approved Moving Atlanta Forward, the program is no longer defined mainly by plans, budgets and promises on paper. More than half of its projects have now reached construction or closeout, while every project included in the original delivery plan has officially started.
The numbers show how quickly the pace has changed. As of July 31, Atlanta had spent $179 million through the program, an increase of $65 million in just one year. The City Auditor’s August 2026 annual review also found that most projects advanced by at least one phase since the previous review.
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Transportation remains the largest piece of the work, with 159 active projects managed by the Atlanta Department of Transportation. About 48% were in construction or closeout as of July 31. Current projects include Safe Streets improvements along 15th Street, Glen Iris Drive and LaFrance Street, as well as sidewalk work on Childress Drive, Northside Parkway and Harbin Road.
Parks and recreation projects are even further along. Ninety-two percent are now in construction or closeout. Work includes improvements at Brownwood Park Recreation Center and Thomasville Recreation Center, artificial turf fields at Central Park and Mozley Park, and renovations to six neighborhood pools.
Public safety projects have also moved forward. All 12 planned facility projects are underway, including Fire Stations 25, 26, 30 and 31, the Zone 4 Police Precinct and the E911 Center. The audit found that the Department of Enterprise Asset Management more than doubled its Moving Atlanta Forward spending between August 2025 and June 2026.
The city has also changed how the program is managed. A dedicated Moving Atlanta Forward Program Management Office now tracks schedules, budgets and project risks, while the public dashboard is centrally managed and reviewed monthly. Two earlier audit recommendations involving the dashboard have been fully implemented and closed.
“Moving Atlanta Forward is a commitment we made to the people of Atlanta, and I’m proud of the teams who have stayed focused on getting this work done,” Chief Operating Officer LaChandra Burks said.
“The latest audit shows how far we’ve come and also helps us see where we can do better.”
The audit still identified areas needing improvement, including project documentation and financial tracking. Those findings leave more work ahead, even as construction spreads across Atlanta.
Alongside the Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative and other long-term investments, Moving Atlanta Forward is increasingly shifting from a citywide funding plan into visible changes to streets, parks, public safety facilities and neighborhood infrastructure.
