With its traffic congestion growing amid a population boom, Henry County has hired a transportation planning director.
Sam Baker, former transportation planning manager for Hall County's Gainesville-Hall Metropolitan Planning Organization, will help Henry implement transportation projects in coordination with partners such as the federal and state governments as well as the Atlanta Regional Commission.
Baker has a bachelor’s degree in architecture and a master’s degree in city and regional planning from Ohio State University.
In addition to his work in Hall County, Baker also has worked as a planner for the Georgia Department of Transportation, Georgia Department of Community Affairs and Missoula County in Missoula, Montana.
Residents and leaders said congestion of roads are one of the top issues facing the county. Henry has boomed over the last 20 years and an Atlanta Regional Commission forecast predicts the county's population could reach 370,000 by 2050.