Governor Brian Kemp Allocates $220 Million for Georgia Highway Freight Interchanges and Weigh-in-Motion Tech

SAVANNAH, Ga. — Governor Brian Kemp and Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) Commissioner Russell McMurry announced on Monday the allocation of $220 million from the state's Transportation Trust Fund to construct four grade-separated commercial freight interchanges and install automated high-speed Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) electronic screening sensors along Interstate 16 and Interstate 85.

The project addresses surging commercial container traffic moving between the Port of Savannah—the fastest-growing container port in the United States—and major manufacturing hubs, including the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America in Bryan County and regional automotive supplier parks in Bulloch and Laurens counties.

Accelerating Freight Mobility and Relieving Highway Congestion Interstate 16 carries thousands of commercial trucks daily moving consumer goods, heavy machinery, and finished vehicles between coastal shipping terminals and inland distribution networks in Atlanta and the Midwest.

"Georgia is the supply chain hub of the Southeast, and we are making the targeted infrastructure investments to keep our freight moving safely and efficiently," Governor Kemp said at the Port of Savannah. "By building these four new grade-separated freight interchanges and deploying high-speed electronic weigh stations, we are eliminating hazardous traffic bottlenecks on I-16, improving highway safety for Georgia families, and supporting thousands of good-paying logistics and manufacturing jobs."

Key Construction Packages The $220 million project package funds:

• Bryan County Metaplant Interchange (I-16 at US 280): $80 million to construct a multi-lane diverging diamond interchange accommodating heavy commercial semi-truck turns.
• Bulloch County Industrial Freight Interchange: $55 million for grade-separated flyover ramps connecting industrial warehousing clusters.
• Automated Weigh-in-Motion Electronic Screening: $35 million to install roadway embedded piezoelectric sensors that screen truck axle weights at 70 mph without requiring vehicles to exit into physical weigh stations.
• Laurens County I-16 Pavement Subgrade Hardening: $50 million for deep concrete pavement reconstruction to support continuous 80,000-pound container loads.

Logistics carriers, regional economic development authorities, and county commissioners praised the highway infrastructure funding, emphasizing that rapid freight mobility cements Georgia's position as the top state for international trade.