On a winding stretch of road, even a small change in speed can make the difference between a safe drive and a dangerous one. For transportation engineers, determining the right advisory speed for those curves has long been an important, but often time-consuming, task.

“We want our citizens to drive on safe roads,” said Denise Freund, Deputy Director of the Forsyth County Department of Engineering. “Improving our infrastructure and just being generally more efficient in how we perform our day-to-day operations can help with that.”

In Forsyth County, a partnership between the Department of Engineering, the Georgia Institute of Technology, and Kennesaw State University is exploring new ways to make that process faster, more efficient and more accessible for communities across Georgia.

“There have been studies that showed that there’s a significant increase in accidents on horizontal curvature,” Freund said.

At the center of the project is the development of a smartphone-based tool designed to measure and recommend advisory speeds on curved roadways, which has traditionally required specialized equipment and manual analysis to perform.

Historically, engineers used a device known as a ball bank indicator, which measures lateral inclination relative to the horizon when driving through curves. The readings help determine the appropriate advisory speed signs placed along those roadways.

The new approach seeks to accomplish the same task using sensors that already exist in smartphones. Once the app is fully developed, the technology could significantly streamline how advisory speed signs are evaluated and installed.

“This is something that, once the app is developed and put out in the field, our sign crew could use it and check the measurements without someone else from the Engineering Department having to go out and measure it manually,” said Tim Allen, former Deputy Director of the Department of Engineering. Allen was a member of the project team prior to his retirement.

Instead of waiting for an engineer to conduct a study and send results back to the field, sign crews could verify conditions and determine the appropriate signage quicker.

“It will make everything a whole lot faster and more productive,” Allen said.

While Forsyth County has been closely involved in the development process, the potential impact of the technology extends far beyond local roadways.

“We’ve been on the forefront of it working with Georgia Tech, but everybody in Georgia is going to benefit from it,” Allen said. “And then it’ll go nationwide as well, because it’s a program that’s applicable in every state.”

The Department of Engineering has been supporting the project by providing roadway data and driving selected routes to help researchers collect real-time information as the technology is developed.

“Any advance in technology that can replace something that’s a judgement call or that takes a lot of man hours to complete, can help us be more efficient,” Freund said. “It can help us provide safer roads for Forsyth County.”

For Freund, partnerships with universities are particularly valuable because they bring together practical experience and cutting-edge research.

“It’s difficult for me not being in the AI or the tech market to understand necessarily what is possible,” she said. “And I think that’s where the collaboration with these institutions comes into play, because they have a better understanding of how technology can help us.”

Looking ahead, Freund expects that collaboration to continue as technology becomes more integrated into infrastructure planning and management.

“I think we’ll continue to partner and look for opportunities where we can work together or see where AI technology can help us improve infrastructure for the County,” she said.

Ultimately, the goal remains straightforward: safer roads for Forsyth County.

Through partnerships like this one, Forsyth County is helping turn new ideas into practical tools, ensuring that safer roads benefit not only local residents, but communities across Georgia and beyond.

Take a look at the Forsyth County 2025 Annual Report for more! Check out the past year's stats and accomplishments, meet the people who serve our community and learn about the projects in progress around the county.