New Georgia inland port could help reduce truck traffic around Atlanta

A new port opened on the east coast of Georgia that might help reduce traffic in metro Atlanta.

The Georgia Ports Authority celebrated last Thursday the grand opening of the Gainesville Inland Port, a $134 million inland rail terminal. 

The port officially opened in May, but officials gathered last week to hold the ceremony.

State Sen. Drew Echols, R-Gainesville, said in a social media video that the project showed off the skills of local contractors in Georgia while also impacting transportation and manufacturing across the state.

“This is going to help our supply chain all across the state of Georgia getting supplies to our manufacturing facilities and also getting finished product back down to the port, keeping trucks off the roads, helping keeping traffic down all over Atlanta, all over the state of Georgia,” he said. “I’m just proud to be chairman of economic development and to see big projects like this come to fruition, especially in my district.”

Officials say the port could potentially remove 26,000 trucks from the Atlanta area and Hall County in the first year of operation. The port has an annual capacity of 200,000 container units, according to WABE. 

Norfolk Southern will provide direct rail services five days a week to connect the inland port to the Port of Savannah.