ATLANTA, April 13, 2026 /3BL/ – The Ray has published its annual report—State of The Ray 2025—documenting a landmark year in which the organization achieved unprecedented national impact. Moving beyond its foundational roots in Georgia, The Ray spent 2025 mapping the geospatial data needed to develop the policy frameworks and on-the-ground implementations that will redefine American infrastructure.
The year’s hallmark achievement was the creation of a comprehensive national right-of-way (ROW) dataset in partnership with the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR). By mapping the energy potential and suitability of the entire U.S. roadside, The Ray is providing the data-driven solutions required to transform thousands of miles of passive land into active corridors for energy security and grid stability. As we prepare to expand our partnerships with state Department of Transportation (DOT) agencies this year, the insights we now possess make us your right-of-way experts.
On the ecological front, the Natural Capital Program proved the fiscal value of living infrastructure through several 2025 milestones. The Ray secured a $10,000 grant from the UIC Rights-of-Way as Habitat Working Group for three native pollinator meadows in Charleston County, SC, while executing site-specific habitat projects with Goodyear in Michigan and Ryder in North Carolina. These initiatives, alongside a landmark agreement with the Georgia DOT (GDOT) for ten statewide installations, utilize deep-rooted native vegetation to provide mechanical slope stabilization. By effectively reducing pollution and atmospheric elements, these projects offer a pragmatic solution to decrease mowing frequency and lower maintenance costs for state agencies.
Operational safety and circularity also reached new heights before the end of the year. In partnership with ATLDOT and Liberty Tire Recycling, LLC, The Ray completed the first municipal application of Recycled Rubber-Modified Asphalt (RMA) in downtown Atlanta—upcycling 500 tires into a more durable, quieter road surface. Simultaneously, the expansion of the Pi-Lit® Impact Detection System with GDOT has modernized asset management by providing real-time alerts within 60 seconds of a vehicle impact, ensuring critical safety hardware is repaired immediately.
“2025 was the year we realized a high level of impact on a truly national scale. Our work is no longer just a blueprint for the future; it is the technical and operational standard that federal and state partners use to build a smarter, safer, and more resilient transportation system today.”
— Allie Kelly, Executive Director
At the heart of these successes is The Ray’s unique Public-Private-Philanthropic-Partnership (P4) model. By aligning the philanthropic community’s resources with the private sector’s technical ingenuity and the public sector’s regulatory authority, we provide a neutral platform for rapid innovation. This collaborative framework is our essential tool for reimagining infrastructure—allowing us to prove that our transportation networks can be safer, cleaner, and more productive for the communities they serve.
Let’s drive the future.
Media Contact
Dallen McLemore, Communications Specialist, The Ray
229.449.6168 | dallen@theray.org | @TheRayHighway
