Governor Brian Kemp Directs $180 Million for Savannah River Multimodal Logistics Corridors

SAVANNAH, Ga. — Governor Brian Kemp and Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) President and CEO Griff Lynch announced on Monday the distribution of $180 million in state transportation and port development capital from the Georgia Transportation Trust Fund to construct dedicated freight rail flyover bridges, expand heavy-haul container staging yards, and widen arterial drayage highways along the Savannah River commercial corridor.

The infrastructure investments expand the Mason Mega Rail Terminal at Garden City Terminal, allowing the port to handle two simultaneous 10,000-foot intermodal container trains operated by CSX and Norfolk Southern without blocking local vehicular traffic on municipal roads in Chatham County.

Strengthening America's Busiest Commercial Container Gateway The Port of Savannah handles over 5.8 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) annually, connecting international shipping lines to inland distribution centers across Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, and the Midwest. Expanding on-dock rail capacity shifts commercial freight off congested highways onto fuel-efficient freight rail.

"Georgia's deepwater ports are the economic crown jewel of the Southeast, supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs and driving billions in private manufacturing investment," Governor Kemp said at the Garden City Terminal in Savannah. "By investing $180 million in direct rail flyovers, staging yards, and freight corridors, we are eliminating rail-crossing gridlock for local Savannah families, speeding up cargo delivery for our manufacturers and farmers, and keeping Georgia the top state for business."

Major Port Infrastructure Packages The $180 million capital allocation finances:

• Two Grade-Separated Rail Flyover Overpasses: Elevating heavy commercial container traffic over Georgia State Route 25 and municipal thoroughfares.
• 12,000 Feet of Working Track Extension: Expanding on-terminal rail switching loops for rapid intermodal container transfers.
• Heavy-Haul Container Staging Yards: Paving 45 acres of reinforced heavy-duty container storage with automated electric gantry cranes.

Logistics company executives, maritime labor unions, and Savannah municipal officials praised the state investment, highlighting that grade-separated rail flyovers dramatically improve neighborhood traffic flow and pedestrian safety.