How Fairburn, Georgia Increased their Pedestrian Traffic with Soofa

Fairburn, Georgia is a city located Southwest of Atlanta, who describe themselves as a city, “Situated to Succeed.” They emphasize modern innovations that propel their community forward, while also recognizing their history. 

While on the search for how to improve their community connections, Fairburn partnered with Soofa in 2021 to bring two signs to their neighborhood. Since then, they have increased their pedestrian traffic, found new ways to engage the public, and more. We spoke to Sylvia Abernathy, Director of Economic Development for the City of Fairburn to learn why Soofa is a perfect addition to their community. 

Finding the Right Platform

When Fairburn first considered installing Soofa Signs, Abernathy said they were looking to “connect with our community in ways that had been ineffective previously.” For example, they had tried multiple ways to share information with the public. They sent updates through newsletters, emails, even resident utility bills. But when Fairburn added Soofa Signs to their community, they quickly became the city’s most effective communication tool. 

Fairburn has two Soofa Signs, both located in their town center. Abernathy said that the location choices were, “highly walkable, and provided the best opportunity for the most community engagement from a diverse group of people.” Fairburn wrapped their Soofa Signs with images of the historic Old Campbell County Courthouse, and a wayfinding map on the back. 

Their signs cater to everyone experiencing Fairburn by providing a central meeting point for tourists, and by allowing people to quickly find out key locations in the city. Abernathy said that, “Soofa Signs allow someone to learn everything there is to know about a community in a short period of time.”

Fairburn has also seen positive feedback from the community about their signs. “The public feel like it's very helpful not only in navigating through downtown, but our businesses use the signs to promote their events. They actively use the signs for polls and getting opinions on different issues,” added Abernathy.

Emphasizing Sustainability

In addition to Soofa Signs, Fairburn has other sustainable projects in the works. Abernathy said that when choosing Soofa Signs, “sustainability was key. It was a plus when we learned that the signs are solar-powered and were something that wouldn't need a lot of upkeep.”

Abernathy mentioned that Fairburn is in the process of working with larger cities to look at not only green projects, but LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) incentives. For example, when considering new construction or other projects, Fairburn chooses developers who emphasize sustainability and use eco-friendly materials. In addition, residents have different utility incentives if they incorporate solar power panels as a part of their houses and residential developments. 

Improving Pedestrian Traffic

Abernathy emphasized that the best part of their Soofa Signs have been the ability to access pedestrian traffic data. Fairburn sees the number of people walking by their signs each day, which can help them make decisions about local events, when to post specific information, and more.

“Since we've installed the Soofa Signs, we have had increasingly more pedestrian traffic in our downtown area where the signs have been placed. Not only are the signs driving our community engagement, they're helping us to maintain our downtown spaces,” said Abernathy. Since incorporating Soofa, Fairburn’s average pedestrian numbers show a progression from an estimated 35 pedestrians per hour to more than 50 per hour. 

When generally describing the signs, Abernathy said that they’re, “multidimensional in that they’re comprehensive in providing data analytics, pedestrian information as well as community activities. They’re a bulletin board as well as a wayfinding system. But most importantly, the signs allow you, on a daily basis, to update your citizens, your tourists, and your businesses of what's going on in your community. It’s a great platform to provide an overview of what makes your city great.”

See for yourself how Soofa can transform your downtown spaces.

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