ALPHARETTA, GA — City leaders are set to vote Monday night on a proposal to install intelligent streetlights along Highway 9 in downtown Alpharetta, a move officials say could make the area brighter and safer.

The lights would be installed from Academy Street to Marietta Street and feature technology that can analyze traffic, detect gunshots and weapons, and collect real-time data. The system could also help improve camera clarity for police investigations and expand public Wi-Fi access downtown.

Mayor Jim Gilvin said the upgrade comes after safety concerns and lighting issues downtown. “We had incidents in the past downtown; our cameras were almost useless,” Gilvin said. “It was too dark, the clarity in the cameras just wasn’t the clarity that we needed to pick up a license plate.”

Gilvin added that the new system would serve as a significant security enhancement for the city. “If you’re asking me to choose between this and something that doesn’t provide adequate public safety, I’m taking that,” he said.

However, not all council members are convinced. Some criticized the modern design of the lights, with one member calling them “the ugliest streetlight I have ever seen.”

City Administrator Chris Lagerbloom encouraged the council to think long term. “We could not only accomplish the brightening of the corridor, but we could also accomplish swapping out and replacing some of our other technology so we’d become a one-stop shop,” he said.

Similar smart lighting systems have already been rolled out in other metro Atlanta cities, including Tucker and Peachtree Corners, where the technology allows police to monitor trail systems and public spaces in real time.

WSB’s Jennifer Perry contributed to this story