Georgia Department of Transportation (Georgia DOT) recently held a ribbon cutting to celebrate cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) waivers granted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) allowing Georgia DOT to integrate C-V2X technology across the state.
The ceremony featured Georgia DOT Commissioner Russell R. McMurry, P.E., Atlanta DOT Commissioner Solomon Caviness, Georgia Division Administrator for the Federal Highway Association Sabrina David, and ITS America President and CEO Laura Chace. State Transportation Board members Stacy Key (Congressional District 5) and Dana Lemon (Congressional District 13) were also in attendance.
C-V2X technology enables data sharing between vehicles, transportation infrastructure, pedestrians and mobile networks to improve traffic flow, reduce congestion and increase road safety Practical examples of this technology include:
- Emergency vehicle prioritization: Communication with traffic systems to ensure that first responders have priority on the roadway improving response times through congested corridors.
- Reduced emissions: Communication with traffic signals can reduce idling at intersections helping to reduce emissions by 20%.
- Improved safety: Communications with other vehicles and transportation infrastructure can provide motorists with critical real-time information (hard braking, work zones, red light violation warnings, green light optimal speed advisory) that can prevent accidents and reduce fatalities.
In 2021, Congress passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allowing for technology funding in transportation and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has supported Georgia DOT as it worked to secure the necessary FCC waivers and implement the C-V2X technology on Georgia’s roadways. “Georgia is on the leading edge of deploying connected vehicle technology to make their roads safer for all: cyclists, pedestrians, constructions crews, and drivers,” says Shailen Bhatt, FHWA Administrator. “That is critical to advancing our shared mission of delivering a world class transportation system – in Georgia and across the entire country – that is safer, more efficient, more sustainable, and more equitable for all.”
“Our focus is always on safety and our ultimate goal at Georgia DOT is to achieve zero fatalities on our roadways,” says Russel R McMurry, PE commissioner of Georgia DOT. “It is critical that we take a forward-looking approach and deploy new technologies quickly and safely to protect Georgia’s motoring public, and this technology gets us a little bit closer to our goal.”
Laura Chace, President and CEO of ITS America, an advocate of transportation technologies including C-V2X which works with the FCC and DOTs on adoption of this technology highlighted Georgia DOT’s role in the implementation of C-V2X across the country. “There are many other states deploying C-V2X technology but none at the scale and pace of Georgia,” said Chace. “The Georgia Department of Transportation is a national leader in this space. They believed in this technology, they invested in this technology, and they were ready to deploy as soon as the FCC’s waiver was granted and established a blueprint for other DOTs across the country to follow.”
The Georgia Department of Transportation currently has more than 700 intersections and interstate installations ready to deploy C-V2X technology in addition to the over 1200 signalized intersections already deployed with connected vehicle technology. Additionally, the department has developed a V2X roadmap that outlines a 10-year funding program to equip all signalized intersections on the state route system.
