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12/6/2023
The Georgia Ports Authority's (GPA) board has approved spending $127 million to build the Blue Ridge Connector, an inland rail terminal in Gainesville, Georgia.
The Connector will link northeast Georgia with the Port of Savannah’s 35 global container ship services. Slated to open in 2026, the facility will serve a key region for the production of heavy equipment, food and forest products, GPA officials said in a news release.
Funding for the Blue Ridge Connector is coming from a mix of GPA internal capital and a $47 million grant from the Federal Maritime Administration. Norfolk Southern Railway will connect the facility to GPA’s Mason Mega Rail terminal in Savannah.
Including this latest project, GPA has now invested more than $374 million in rail capacity, including the Port of Savannah’s on-dock Mason Mega Rail Terminal and the Appalachian Regional Port in Northwest Georgia.
Approximately 18% to 20% of GPA’s container cargo moves by rail, with the rest handled by truck.
"This important investment will help our customers streamline their supply chains while reducing congestion on Georgia highways," said GPA President and CEO Griff Lynch. "As we have seen at the Appalachian Regional Port in Murray County, improved rail service to the region will increase transportation efficiency and act as a magnet for jobs and economic development. Every container moved by rail will avoid a 600-mile roundtrip by truck between Savannah and the Gainesville area."