Georgia Issues Update on Major High-Speed Rail Project

Newsweek

13-05-2025

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Georgia transportation officials are advancing plans for a high-speed rail line connecting Atlanta and Savannah, after holding a public feedback report on the idea.
The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) has launched a feasibility study into the project that would cut travel time and costs between two major hubs, and become part of the Corridor Identification and Development program, which is expanding high-speed rail networks across the country.
Newsweek contacted the GDOT for more information on the new study via email.
Why It Matters
If managed correctly, Atlanta could become a hub for high-speed rail in the Southeast, as several other projects are revolving around the city as part of the Corridor Identification and Development program. The federally managed initiative is investigating the possibility of routes from Atlanta to Charlotte, North Carolina, and from, Atlanta to Chattanooga, Tennessee, which would be in turn connected to Memphis.
What To Know
The new report, released on Saturday, would determine the best way to approach building a high-speed rail line that would connect Atlanta's metropolitan area, the largest in the state, to Savannah, which is a distance of roughly 250 miles.
GDOT identified the route as a potential corridor for passenger and economic demand, after more than 4,000 responses were given at an initial public interest forum hosted in January.
A preliminary outline listed stops in Macon, Dublin, and other communities between the two cities.
An elevated train station in Atlanta, serving the Blue, Green Lines of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, on 24 December, 2024.
An elevated train station in Atlanta, serving the Blue, Green Lines of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, on 24 December, 2024.
Getty Images
Like with many other high-speed rail projects in other parts of the country, funding remains a huge hurdle, and federal grant applications are in progress as Georgia seeks to leverage recent infrastructure legislation passed by Congress.
Currently, $10 million in planning money has been allocated for the study, consisting of an $8-million grant from the Federal Railroad Administration and a $2-million state match.
What People Are Saying
The Georgia Department of Transportation said in documents on the feasibility report: "The purpose of the project is to establish a safe, reliable, high-capacity, and resilient intercity passenger rail service between the Atlanta and Savannah metro areas and travel markets in between."
"The service would support regional and local economic development, enhance access to educational and employment opportunities, facilitate connections to existing multimodal transportation networks (including transit, airports, and passenger rail), support efficient freight movement in the state, and improve critical transportation links to rural and disadvantaged populations.
"The project would present a safe, reliable, high-capacity, competitive, and resilient transportation alternative that is feasible, implementable, and cost-effective."
What Happens Next
According to GDOT's timeline, environmental and financial planning will take place through to 2026, with further planning on implementation taking place after that.