Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp joined customers, Hall County dignitaries and Georgia Ports leaders to host the grand opening ceremony of the $134 million Gainesville Inland Port.
The Gainesville Inland Port links customers to the Port of Savannah’s 40 weekly vessel calls with Norfolk Southern rail service. The inland port has an annual capacity of 200,000 containers and offers convenient truck access to Interstates 85 and 985.
On-terminal storage and truck gate access from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday give inland port customers greater inventory flexibility. Grounded storage also lets customers reduce chassis fees compared to wheeled storage at their facilities.
Northeast Georgia is home to a growing manufacturing and logistics corridor, with a consumer market of 2 million and more than 300 manufacturers. Since 2020, 78 new and expanding firms have added more than 4,800 jobs and $2 billion in capital investment to Gainesville-Hall County.
The area’s largest employment segment, at 33% of the overall workforce, is concentrated in manufacturing, processing and logistics.
The Georgia Ports Authority expects to shift 26,000 containers to rail in the terminal’s first year of operation, improving emissions and reducing trucks on Atlanta and Georgia highways. Serving North Georgia and the Carolinas, the Gainesville Inland Port currently handles a mix of home and retail goods, as well as manufacturing components for imports.
Exports consist of farm and forest products, as well as manufacturing.
Georgia Ports funded $4.8 million in Hall County Road projects, eliminating an at-grade rail crossing, rerouting White Sulphur Road and surfacing Cagle Road.
The new White Sulphur route south of the inland terminal now provides emergency vehicles with free access and avoids traffic disruption from trains. Resurfacing Cagle Road also provides an improved alternative for residents.
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