ATLANTA, GA – April 22, 2024 – The Ray, a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing net-zero transportation and energy infrastructure, has released its highly anticipated 2023 annual report—State of The Ray 2023. This comprehensive report highlights the organization’s remarkable achievements over the past year and its commitment to driving sustainable infrastructure across America.
With over 55 strategic partnerships, The Ray has solidified its position as a leader in nonprofit initiatives in the transportation sector. Collaborating closely with state Department of Transportation (DOT) agencies, the organization has successfully implemented turnkey installations, showcasing its efficiency in unlocking the future of sustainable infrastructure.
One of the most significant milestones for The Ray in 2023 was the implementation of a regional staff strategy. This strategic move was made possible by a generous grant from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, enabling The Ray to accelerate net-zero transportation and make renewable energy and electrification more accessible and affordable nationwide. The Ray’s national expansion reinforces its commitment to expediting project implementation—to change the facts on the ground—by drawing closer to a multi-state network of transportation partners and paving the way for regional collaboration.
In a testament to its impact, The Ray was named a capacity builder by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) in 2023 for the Thriving Communities Program. Alongside partners Arcadis, InfraStrategies, and Beverly Scott Associates, The Ray was awarded $5.1 million to provide technical assistance, planning, and capacity-building to 15 networked communities. These communities, located near key transportation hubs, will receive support in advancing transportation projects that align with community-driven economic development, health, environment, mobility, and access goals.
“Transportation is an engine of sustainable growth and prosperity in America, at the state and local level,” said Harriet Anderson Langford, Founder and President of The Ray. “At The Ray, we are expanding nationally to help our agency partners overcome barriers to move forward.”
The State of The Ray 2023 showcases the organization’s dedication to advancing net-zero transportation and energy infrastructure. With its strategic partnerships, innovative initiatives, and commitment to sustainability, The Ray is poised to shape the future of transportation in America.
For more information about The Ray and to access the full 2023 annual report, please visit www.theray.org.
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About The Ray:
The Ray is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity and net-zero highway testbed, located on 18 miles of Interstate 85 between LaGrange, Georgia, and the Georgia-Alabama state line. This stretch of interstate is named in memory of Ray C. Anderson (1934-2011), a Georgia native recognized as a leader in green business when he challenged his company, Interface, Inc., to pursue a zero environmental footprint. Our mission is to reimagine how we connect our communities, our lives, and the world in a way that is safer, more responsive to the climate, more regenerative to the environment, and more capable of creating economic opportunity through innovative ideas and technologies that will transform transportation infrastructure. The Ray Highway is paving the way for a zero carbon, zero waste, zero deaths highway system that will build a safer and more prosperous future for us all. Learn more at www.TheRay.org.
Media Contact
Dallen McLemore, Communications Specialist, The Ray
229.449.6168 | dallen@theray.org | @TheRayHighway