Public Wi-Fi and autonomous grocery stores announced for Atlanta BeltLine pilot

The organisation that manages the Atlanta BeltLine urban redevelopment project has announced that it will launch free public Wi-Fi and smart city technology pilots at two demonstrator sites.

Atlanta Beltline Inc. said that the sites on the Southside and Eastside Trails  will provide free public Wi-Fi, an autonomous grocery store, information on BeltLine activities, interactive maps, and smart trash cans.

The initiative aims to address issues such as access to food and digital inclusion and is in partnership with several large companies and local businesses. It will inform a longer-term strategy for technology and connectivity across the BeltLine.

The Atlanta BeltLine is described as “one of the largest, most wide-ranging urban redevelopment programmes in the United States”. Around 9.3 miles of the 22-mile BeltLine mainline trail loop are complete. The network comprises public parks, multi-use trails, transit and affordable housing along a former railroad corridor.

Fibre

The year-long pilot project will be enabled by a 15.7-mile fibre optic network installed along the Atlanta BeltLine by eX² Technology’s as part of a public-private partnership with Atlanta Beltline Inc.

The fibre was installed to create a new funding source to support the long-term economic viability of the BeltLine through the sale of fibre, and to enable high-speed technology on the corridor.

“The Atlanta BeltLine uses public infrastructure as a vehicle for catalysing economic growth and development. This digital inclusion and smart cities initiative will play a major role in defining our legacy and impact as an organisation as we seek to leverage our telecommunication infrastructure to open up new economic opportunities to residents, students, business owners, seniors and the community at-large,” said Clyde Higgs, President and CEO at Atlanta BeltLine, Inc.

“The BeltLine itself is a testing ground for innovation. It’s a place where we can use technology to solve problems facing our communities that could be scaled city-wide and as a case study for cities across the country.”

Digital inclusion

As many as 33 percent of people living in certain areas along the BeltLine are estimated to lack access to a fixed broadband service at adequate speeds.

The two ‘pop-up’ pilot sites will feature high-speed Wi-Fi powered by the fibre network. Each of the pilot areas will also house a Nourish + Bloom Market autonomous grocery store; a Rove IQ interactive wayfinding kiosk; a Big Belly smart waste bin; and, adjacent to the corridor, a Blink Electrical Vehicle (EV) charging station.

At Nourish + Bloom Market stores, users can download an app, scan a QR code and pay for goods automatically without needing to use a checkout.

Nourish + Bloom’s website says: “The benefit of autonomous shopping, vending and robotic delivery means you have 24/7/365 access to real food and environmentally friendly products anytime.”

Technology company Honeywell and N-Ovate Business Solutions, a digital transformation consultancy launched by Atlanta’s former Chief Technology Officer Tye Hayes, will lead the strategy effort.

The pilot sites will see the first US deployment of the Honeywell City Suite, an artificial intelligence-enabled IoT platform that aggregates information from multiple city systems, including environment, emergency services, safety and security, and utilities, in a unified view.

“Through the Honeywell platform, the BeltLine can collect information to make data-driven decisions through analytic technology to improve trail services, enhance the user experience, and monitor the flow of disposable and recyclable materials, supporting a more resilient BeltLine and sustainable environment,” the announcement said.

The Rocket Community Fund, the philanthropic partner of Rocket Companies, is providing financial support for the development of the strategy and additional resources for the initiative.