New joint agreement kick-starts Jasper terminal (Savannah, Statesboro: 2015, authority, manufacturing)

[Airforceguy]

While I'm glad to see this project inching toward breaking ground, I wish both states, particularly Georgia, be more proactive and get the existing infrastructure up to speed to support traffic from the existing port and the new terminal. I-16 is already a hot mess and will get worse. Honestly, I-16 needs to be six lanes all the way to U.S. 280 maybe even Statesboro. Also a new perimeter highway should be built around Savannah. I know officials are looking at extending the Truman Parkway into South Carolina to link back up to I-95. A project like that would certainly help with truck traffic coming from the new terminal.

The new terminal, which will be jointly owned and operated by both port authorities, is expected to provide needed capacity for the two established ports in Savannah and Charleston and help provide a strong Southeast gateway for container shipping.

It’s estimated that terminals at the Georgia Ports Authority and the South Carolina Port Authority will be pushing capacity as early as 2025. The agreement signed Monday will allow the Jasper Joint Project Office, established in 2008 and comprised of representatives of both states, to start the permitting process with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

“We hope to submit our permit application to the Corps in Charleston before Thanksgiving and follow that in December with a letter requesting a channel capacity modification study,” said Doug Marchand, former GPA executive director and member of the JPO board.

Both current governors voiced their support for the new pact.

“This agreement shows significant progress in our commitment to support economic development in our region,” Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal said in a statement. “We must expand port infrastructure in the fast-growing U.S. Southeast to accommodate future demand in manufacturing and retail. Our current investments in logistics infrastructure such as the ports will ensure that our states remain at the forefront of these industries so that we not only grow today, but that we continue to grow for decades to come.”

New joint agreement kick-starts Jasper terminal | savannahnow.com

[WanderingImport]

Extension of the Truman to SC is a pipe dream. It gets talked about, but that's pretty much it..

[Airforceguy]

Originally Posted by WanderingImport

Extension of the Truman to SC is a pipe dream. It gets talked about, but that's pretty much it..

While I agree that it has been a pipe dream for a long time, I think the new port terminal may just jump start this project. I'm pretty sure the powers that be wouldn't want all that truck traffic from the new port cutting through downtown Savannah trying to get to I-16.

[WanderingImport]

Originally Posted by Airforceguy

While I agree that it has been a pipe dream for a long time, I think the new port terminal may just jump start this project. I'm pretty sure the powers that be wouldn't want all that truck traffic from the new port cutting through downtown Savannah trying to get to I-16.

...but that is only a matter of your opinion.

Until actual REAL paperwork, etc gets done on the matter, it'll just be a pipe dream. Not saying it shouldn't happen, I'm saying the likelyhood of it actually happening is nil.

What is more likely to happen in reality is a widening of US 17 and an addition of an exit at 95 (Exit 3) which HAS been proposed in reality, several years back. I'm not sure if that ever got off the ground though.

[Airforceguy]

Originally Posted by WanderingImport

...but that is only a matter of your opinion.

Until actual REAL paperwork, etc gets done on the matter, it'll just be a pipe dream. Not saying it shouldn't happen, I'm saying the likelyhood of it actually happening is nil.

What is more likely to happen in reality is a widening of US 17 and an addition of an exit at 95 (Exit 3) which HAS been proposed in reality, several years back. I'm not sure if that ever got off the ground though.

I have to concede you are right about the prospects of that project, still would be nice though. With regard to the U.S. 17 widening I think that project is suppose to start in the next 10 years. As for exit 3 I'm not sure if funding has been identified for it.

[CoastalGAGuy]

I thought the plan was for the widening of US 17, and a new spur road that connects to 17 somewhere around the strip clubs to head straight out through the marsh that was pretty much solely built for purposes of Jasper port traffic?