“Funding for the Port of Savannah’s harbor deepening and road infrastructure will ensure Georgia is ready when larger and more efficient ships begin to regularly call on our state,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “All of Georgia will benefit for many years to come in the form of new jobs and economic opportunity because the legislature agreed to keep funding for this critical infrastructure intact.”
The state’s approved FY2011 budget includes bond funding of $68,435,000 for the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP) and $200 million of additional funding through the Georgia Department of Transportation for statewide transportation enhancements. The Jimmy Deloach Parkway Extension, a $121 million project, is Governor Perdue’s top priority for this funding.
“We are pleased the General Assembly and the Governor are supporting port infrastructure for long-term economic growth,” said GPA’s Executive Director Curtis J. Foltz. “The completion of these projects will improve Georgia’s competitiveness in the international marketplace and ensure the efficient and timely access of Georgia-based products to markets around the world.”
The completion of the SHEP, which will deepen the Savannah River’s navigational channel from its current 42-foot depth to as much as 48 feet, is one of the most important and productive civil works projects in the country. The project will maintain and create jobs and commerce throughout the supply chain in the Southeast, parts of the Midwest and Gulf Coast states.
In 2014, the Panama Canal expansion will be complete and increase the maximum draft of vessels traveling to and from the U.S. East Coast from 39.5 feet to as much as 50 feet. The new locks will send ships to Savannah that are as much as three times the capacity of ships currently able to transit the Canal.
The completion of the Jimmy Deloach Parkway Extension will provide a fast, reliable and direct connection between I-95 and the Port of Savannah. This funding will complete the 3.1-mile limited access roadway that is critical to long-term freight mobility and future growth.
“I would like to thank the Governor, the General Assembly and the members of our board and staff who worked tirelessly to make the case that Georgia’s economic future is directly tied to the success of our ports,” said Stephen S. Green, Chairman of GPA’s Board of Directors. “The approval of this funding once again demonstrates that Georgia has the courage and leadership required to be a leader in the global marketplace.”
Currently the fourth largest and fastest growing container port in the United States, Savannah is the South Atlantic port of choice for the export and import of cargo. Additional roadway capacity and harbor expansion will provide “first-mile” and “last-mile” connectivity between the Port of Savannah and cargo origination/destination points throughout the country.
“Both of these projects will prepare the Port of Savannah to become a regional hub for economic activity,” said Foltz. “Indirect impacts created by this project will have significant effects on Georgia’s retail, agriculture, manufacturing, and real estate sectors.”
