Georgia DOT presents first freight and logistics implementation plan and FY24 annual report under HB 617

The Georgia Department of Transportation presented its first freight and logistics implementation plan (FLIP) and the FY24 freight annual report required by House Bill 617, saying the documents catalogue 20-year projects and summarize the previous fiscal year’s freight investments.

Matt Markham, deputy director of planning at the Georgia Department of Transportation, told the committee the FLIP implements statutory requirements added by HB 617 and draws heavily on the department’s 2023 state freight plan. “It is a very much a partnership, with the commissioner, and working hand, hand in hand together,” Markham said, describing the planning office’s role in setting strategic direction and measuring outcomes.

Markham said the department organized projects across three legislative economic zones: an International Ocean Trade Zone (counties within 20 miles of a deep-water port), an Inland Port Zone (counties within 10 miles of Georgia Ports Authority inland ports), and Commercial and Industrial Impact Zones (counties within 5 miles of warehouses larger than 200,000 square feet). The FLIP identified projects and programs by those zones and by categories HB 617 required — foundational (maintenance/state of good repair), catalytic (strategic expansions) and innovative (research and pilot investments).

Key figures presented to the committee include:

- FY24 snapshot: $314,000,000 in combined funding was used to invest in 41 freight projects during FY24; 12 of those were funded exclusively with state funds and 11 of those are planned to be fully implemented with state funds, Markham said. The FY24 annual report separately notes $303,000,000 of state general funds went to projects on the freight investment list for 11 projects.

- Economic-zone totals presented by Markham: 23 projects in the International Ocean Trade Zone totaling nearly $1 billion; 30 projects in the Inland Port Zone totaling a little over $2 billion (including the Appalachian Regional Port, Blue Ridge connector projects and the Bainbridge terminal); 281 projects in Commercial and Industrial Impact Zones totaling a little over $20 billion.

- State investment: Markham noted a historic $1.5 billion in transportation investments in the amended budget last year, of which a little over $1 billion was for freight and capital construction and a little less than $900 million was for construction. The department estimated multi-billion-dollar benefits from reduced delay and truck-hour savings by 2050 if projects proceed as planned.

The FLIP links each project to business-facing key performance indicators Markham said were developed with private-sector input: reliability, “speed” (framed as velocity to market), cost, risk, and safety/security. Markham said the freight plan expects statewide freight tonnage to grow substantially and projected freight to nearly double to about 900,000,000 tons by 2050, with most of that increase in truck movements.

Committee members used the presentation to raise operational and local concerns that the FLIP will need to address in updates. Staff said the department will produce the annual report each year; the FLIP itself will be updated in 2027 alongside the next federally required state freight plan. Several issues raised in Q&A included:

- Ports and specific projects: Members asked about the Port of Bainbridge and other inland-port facilities; Markham offered to follow up with Georgia Ports Authority data and more detailed volumes for members who requested it.

- Railroad operations and autonomous train pilot projects: Members mentioned a private pilot (Parallel Systems) receiving Federal Railroad Administration approval to test autonomous train operations in Georgia. Markham said the department’s rail and intermodal offices (outside planning) coordinate with rail operators and class I railroads on capacity and operations; specifics about that pilot were not provided in committee testimony.

- Train crossings and grade separation: Markham said the department is completing a train crossing study that will be finished within months. He said grade separation (bridges or underpasses) is the most effective measure to reduce blocking but is expensive; the department will evaluate where grade separation makes sense and explore other mitigation, including advanced warning signage and coordination with rail partners.

- Truck parking: Multiple members raised truck-parking shortages along interstates and ramps. Markham said the department is evaluating truck-parking needs, expanding capacity at DOT-controlled rest areas where feasible, and studying public–private partnership options because the majority of truck parking in Georgia is operated by the private sector.

- Broadband and connected/autonomous vehicles: The plan highlights broadband investments along interstates to support data sharing for connected and autonomous vehicle applications. Markham said operations and cybersecurity are priorities and the department is coordinating implementation work with its operations office.

Markham told the committee the department solicited significant private-sector input while developing the 2023 state freight plan and the FLIP and intends to refine the FLIP with committee feedback. The FLIP and the annual report were submitted to the legislature as required; staff said PDFs are posted on the department website and suggested future versions could include a more interactive map of projects.