Georgia's Innovative Smart Cities Initiatives Win International Awards for Technological Advancements
Winners of the Intelligent Community Forum’s Smart21 Community Award at the 2024 Taipei Smart City Summit and Expo. ● Photo Credit: Partnership for Inclusive Innovation
ATLANTA, March 29, 2024 (VSNewsNetwork.com) - The Partnership for Inclusive Innovation has announced that three Georgia communities involved in its Community Research Grant program have received international accolades for their smart cities projects. Warner Robins, Woodstock, and Columbus were honored within hours of each other in early March, showcasing Georgia's leadership in smart city development.
Warner Robins and Woodstock were both awarded the Intelligent Community Forum’s Smart21 Community Award at the 2024 Taipei Smart City Summit and Expo. Warner Robins was recognized for its Citizen Safety Digital Twin for Community Resilience project, and Woodstock for its Smart Master Plan and Smart Corridor Study. Concurrently, Columbus received the Smart 20 award from Smart Cities Connect for its Digital Twin River Safety Project, with the award presentation scheduled for May.
“These accolades are a testament to the Partnership’s pivotal role in developing, nurturing, steering, and funding these projects from conception to triumphant completion,” stated Debra Lam, director of the Partnership.
The Warner Robins project integrated a dynamic license plate reader solution with police department investigation practices, leading to the recovery of 27 stolen vehicles and the resolution of three major crimes during its six-month pilot phase. “It’s one of the best investments we can make as a city because it brings the peace of mind of safe streets, safe communities, safe shopping experiences," said Warner Robins Mayor LaRhonda Patrick.
Woodstock's project, initiated in 2020, aimed to alleviate traffic and parking issues following a population doubling since 2010. The city collected traffic data to inform new transportation projects, with Mayor Michael Caldwell expressing pride in representing Georgia among the honorees and commitment to improving citizens’ quality of life through smart technology.
Columbus's project focused on enhancing safety along the world’s longest manmade urban whitewater course. The digital twin developed for the river allows for the prediction of water levels and the detection of humans in the water, significantly improving river safety. “While winning the award is awesome, the impetus was to promote river safety and provide real-time SMART solutions that save lives,” said Dr. James Forrest Toelle, information technology director for Columbus Consolidated Government.
John Taylor, Frederick Law Olmsted Professor in Georgia Tech’s School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, highlighted the significance of these projects, stating, “It is particularly rewarding to see the research being implemented to help save lives and reduce crimes in communities. These smart community awards are an important recognition of the forward-thinking vision and dedication to public safety of these communities.”
These international recognitions follow Valdosta's selection as a finalist in the 2021 World Smart Cities Awards in the Mobility Category.
For more information about the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation and its projects, visit www.pingeorgia.org.
Source: Partnership for Inclusive Innovation via Newswire
