Smart Communities Challenge

Georgia's communities are focused on the future. The Georgia Smart Communities Challenge provides an opportunity for communities in Georgia to receive funding and support that enable them to envision, explore and plan for their “smart” futures. This Georgia Tech-led initiative, launched in 2018, brings together industry and public agencies to help local governments implement smart development. The strategies developed by the selected communities will serve as models that could be implemented elsewhere across Georgia. The winners for 2019 are:

Columbus: Columbus Smart Uptown

Plans include improvement of safety and security, transportation systems, and connectivity to drive economic growth in the district through IoT device installations, public Wi-Fi, data integration and management techniques.

Macon Bibb County: Macon Smart Neighborhoods

This community will invest in underserved areas of the community with smart kiosks to provide connectivity and on-demand services to promote community empowerment and give an equal voice to all residents.

Milton: Milton Smarter Safer Routes to School

Milton will promote walking and biking to school by creating a network of programmed devices (smart phones) that connect students and parents together to arrange supervised groups and designate safe primary routes.

Woodstock: Woodstock Smart Master Plan and Corridor Study

A smart corridor and infrastructure study will help to improve mobility in Woodstock and address rapid-growth and uneven commuting patterns.

Georgia Power is a proud partner of this program and recently celebrated the winners for 2018 and 2019 at the Georgia Experience Center. Learn more about how we're growing Georgia together with our state and local partners.