$134M inland port connects Savannah to North Georgia

New inland port connects North Georgia to the coast

A massive new inland port is now open in Hall County, aiming to move freight off the pavement and onto the tracks to reduce metro Atlanta traffic.

HALL COUNTY, Ga. - The Georgia Ports Authority opened a $134 million inland port in Hall County last Monday to move freight by rail and reduce truck traffic on Georgia highways.

What we know:

The Gainesville Inland Port is a 104-acre facility located just outside of Gainesville in Hall County.

It features seven 90-foot-tall cranes designed to load and unload shipping containers. The site is connected directly to the Port of Savannah via the Norfolk Southern rail system.

The facility cost about $134 million to build and took about 19 months to complete.

What they're saying:

The port is expected to have a major impact on road safety and congestion by moving freight off the pavement and onto the tracks.

Wesley Barrell, the general manager of inland operations for the Georgia Ports Authority, estimates the facility will eliminate 26,000 truck trips through the Atlanta metro area in the first year alone.

"Being able to serve a truck with a dual transaction, bringing one in and taking one out, and being able to move that within 15 minutes, that expedites the freight movement to any of the manufacturers or the customers using this facility as well," he said. 

While the facility created 20 direct jobs, officials say the project will support tens of thousands of other positions across the region. It is designed to help local manufacturers and agricultural businesses send and receive import and export products more efficiently.

"The greatest impact that we anticipate is that of the savings of that truck move from the highway, but then also the further development, growth and expansion of business throughout the state," Barrell said. "This also captures new business from different regions in the United States to be able to bring themselves closer to the deep water of Savannah."

What's next:

The intermodal facility currently serves one train per day, but Barrell says he expects that volume to grow.

"As the volume grows, we should anticipate seeing that rail transit, as well as operations, expand so we can serve our customers on a daily basis," he said.

Barrell said the facility is capable of moving up to 200,000 containers each year.