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Henry County adopts connected-vehicle deployment plan to expand emergency-response tech
Summary
The Henry County Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted a plan to expand connected-vehicle technology countywide, positioning the county to apply for a federal "stage 2" SMART grant and to scale a prototype now operating at dozens of intersections and on emergency vehicles.
The Henry County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved adoption of the Henry County connected vehicle technology deployment plan, a county presentation said, setting the county up to apply for a federal Stage 2 SMART grant and to expand a prototype now in operation.
Transportation planning manager Sam Baker told the board the county has deployed prototype equipment at 34 intersections and on 45 Henry County Fire Department emergency response vehicles. Baker said the deployment plan would extend the system to more than 200 signalized intersections, equip more than 100 emergency vehicles and more than 300 school buses, and be rolled out in four phases targeting roughly 40 intersections per phase.
The plan, developed with consultant P3 Mobility, aims to minimize local funding by relying primarily on a potential Stage 2 SMART grant (up to $15 million, no local match) and Georgia Department of Transportation regional funding that could cover about 80% of infrastructure costs. Consultant Jeremy Ward said the project's total implementation cost is estimated in the $7 million to $12 million range and includes equipment, installation, operations for an initial period, project management and community engagement.
Baker and Ward said the county is still collecting and analyzing performance data from the prototype and plans to return to the board around February 2026 to report whether the technology demonstrably shortens emergency response times. Ward also described community engagement plans and three key outreach messages: "time saved equals lives saved," "your family will be safer," and "Henry County is a leader in CV technology."
Board members asked about the county's fiscal exposure if federal grant funding is not awarded. Baker said county staff will pursue alternate federal programs, state assistance, and public-private partnerships; he described retaining the existing prototype equipment as a fallback that still serves the busiest corridors. Several commissioners said they prioritized emergency-response uses and expressed caution about extending the system to nonemergency private vehicles without further public discussion.
The board voted to adopt the deployment plan and authorized staff to pursue grant funding and next steps; the motion carried unanimously.
The county will continue operating the prototype while applying for grant funding expected to be announced early next year, with a project start target of late 2026 if an award is secured.
