Georgia Ports Authority’s new inland port in Gainesville will strengthen the northeastern part of the state’s attractiveness to manufacturers.
The new port, which opens on May 4, 2026, is expected to serve some 330 manufacturers in the Northeast Georgia region. With a direct connection to Savannah and its global ocean carrier network, the port will provide local manufacturers with the ability to reach international markets quicker. The direct rail service between Northeast Georgia and Savannah gives shippers an alternative to the 600-mile roundtrip truck route, and will reduce trucks on the road, officials said.
“Our new inland rail facility in Gainesville, Georgia, will significantly offset truck traffic congestion in Atlanta and improve air quality by replacing an estimated 26,000 truck roundtrips in the first year alone. We’re already seeing positive customer engagement and Norfolk Southern will bring an excellent level of service working together with GPA,” Georgia Ports President and CEO Griff Lynch said at the March 24 GPA Board meeting.
Officials said the $134 million Gainesville Inland Port (formerly known as the Blue Ridge Connector) will have an annual capacity of 200,000 containers. The port was funded with $4.8 million from GPA for Hall County project including eliminating an at-grade rail crossing, rerouting White Sulphur Road and surfacing Cagle Road.
GPA is also investing nearly $5 billion into an infrastructure plan to expand berths, yards, gates, inland ports and rail capacity over the next decade.
“New infrastructure assets take planning and time to build,” GPA Board Chairman Alec Poitevint said. “We believe in a steady investment that delivers port capacity ahead of our customers’ future needs. This enables our customers to plan long-term for the future and have confidence their supply chain keeps pace with growth. We want to thank Governor Kemp, the General Assembly, and GDOT for the great work they are doing with Peach State infrastructure projects outside the terminal, like Brampton Road, the Talmadge Bridge, and the widening of Savannah highways for freight to move easier.”