How much can Atlanta’s Department of Transportation get done before the 2026 World Cup? Is next year’s annual budget increase enough? Is staff at risk of burning out due to vacancies and intense demand? Can we trust the Department to be a good steward of the budget it’s given? What’s the status of long-planned and funded projects that have (still) not yet been built?
These were the themes of the ATLDOT budget briefing, held last week by Atlanta City Council, with Commissioner Solomon Caviness and senior staff on the hot seat.
After years of cuts, the proposed FY2026 budget includes a modest increase: the General Fund allocation for ATLDOT is up 11.6% from last year, with a 13% increase in positions. That sounds promising, until you zoom out.
The proposed $58.6M budget is just 2% higher than in FY2023, despite record population growth, voter-approved infrastructure investments, and a backlog of incomplete projects.
Atlanta still dramatically underinvests in transportation compared to peer cities, spending only about one-third of what similar cities allocate to keep people safe and moving.
Several Council Members also questioned the Department’s priorities, pointing to recent work on Peachtree Street, which resurfaced the street without adding any safety improvements. With seven resurfacing projects recently done and nine more to come in the current budget year, a substantial amount of next year’s budget is also devoted to street resurfacing projects ahead of the World Cup. Council Member Alex Wan (District 6) noted that “all eyes are on you for the next 12 months.”
Council Member Jason Dozier (District 4), in particular, took issue with resurfacing projects moving forward without corresponding safe-streets projects, such as crosswalks, bike lanes, pedestrian refuge zones, and similar tactics. He and others pointed out that it is more expensive, in the long run, to resurface first and then add safety measures versus doing everything at once. Dozier also decried the slow progress of traffic calming projects.
Council Member Matt Westmoreland (Post 2 At-Large) asked if the Urban Development Plan has been amended to require all projects adhere to Vision Zero-aligned bicycle and pedestrian safety improvements as legislated by Council. For example, will the work starting soon on Courtland include bicycle and pedestrian improvements?
WATCH: Commissioner Caviness said it would be a matter of timing, that there are no plans in place, and that the bond “only covers resurfacing.” [There is a plan for Courtland, though, and Council amended the bond to require bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.]
Remaining on the topic of safety, Council Member Dustin Hillis (District 9) asked about the status of implementation of recommendations by the Fatal Crash Review Commission, and was promised an update by Deputy Commissioner Betty Smoot-Madison.
Council Member Wan and others took a skeptical view of the Department’s staffing levels, questioning whether ATLDOT is using staff effectively. Wan requested a breakdown of vacancies.
Several Council Members asked about possible cuts to the popular Atlanta Streets Alive program founded by Propel ATL, and were reassured that no cuts were planned, but that some months (July, November) would be skipped to spare staff from required overtime.
Finally, Council Member Liliana Bahktiari (District 5) brought up concerns about staff burnout, asking how many street designers are on staff (she was told 6) and pointed out that the city also struggles to fill open positions, competing with private engineering and consulting firms who can offer more remote work as well as better pay and benefits.
Our big takeaway
“Where’s my project?” will be an ongoing question unless ATLDOT funding levels approach peer cities. To get there, the Department should be honest and transparent about its true funding needs, and what is realistic to accomplish given the resources it has been promised.
What can you do? Atlanta Civic Circle reports Council will approve the budget Monday, so make sure you ask “Where’s My Project?” to your Council Members and Mayor Andre Dickens before then, while calling for the appropriate amount of funding for ATLDOT.
