Nearby businesses excited for Brampton Road Connector construction to end

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - People working near a new port truck connector road said they are ready for it to open.

The Georgia Department of Transportation announced it would open the Brampton Road Connector on Wednesday, July 15, after previously reporting it would open in August.

Georgia Ports Authority leadership said it will give truck drivers faster access to the Port of Savannah and a more streamlined route to inland markets.

For those working and living near the construction near I-516, it’s been a disruption to daily routines.

“Coming here into work, I always have to make a left or turn here, and sometimes it’s a little hard,” said Emily Ceron, who works at Pupuseria Jireh. “It’s a really good idea, honestly, because that way we’ll avoid some traffic, at least from the truck drivers.”

Tony McLane, who works at Low Country Discount Appliances, said, “To us, it looked like it could have been done a little shorter, but we’re not construction. We don’t have weather delays in our business, ya know.”

Despite some frustrations, both said they understand why the project matters.

“This is one of the biggest ports on the East Coast, so because of that, there’s going to be that kind of truck traffic,” McLane said. “We wouldn’t have food to eat or clothes on our backs if it weren’t for these truckers, so there’s a trade-off.”

Ceron said many of her restaurant’s customers are truck drivers, and she hopes the new road makes their stops easier.

“Hopefully they’ll still be able to swing by here and make it a little easier for them to do a little quick pit-stop, then pick up their food, and then be on their way,” she said.

Preliminary engineering for the Brampton Road Connector began about 20 years ago. The $126 million GDOT project is the final piece of a $600 million investment over 12 years to establish a cargo beltway in Savannah, including:

• Reconstructing the I-16/I-95 interchange and widening I-16, a $295 million project improving the safety and flow of commuters and cargo moving on and off each interstate.
• Jimmy Deloach Parkway, a $129 million, limited-access truck route linking Garden City Terminal with Interstates 16 and 95.
• Highway 307 overpass, a $22.5 million project carrying vehicular traffic over the Port of Savannah’s Mason Mega Rail Terminal and allowing for the free flow of trucks and trains.
• Grange Road upgrade, a $14.2 million project providing better truck access between Jimmy Deloach Parkway and Garden City Terminal.

“We want to thank our partners at the Georgia DOT for their important work creating freight corridors that improve local communities and safer traffic flow for the future,” said Georgia Ports CEO Griff Lynch on Tuesday’s press release. “Our trucking community will also achieve faster turntimes at the port with safer routings inland, benefiting Savannah supply chain speeds.”

“Improving the mobility of freight traffic from the port and increasing safety for motorists on local streets are key goals for this project. The Brampton Road Connector accomplishes both simultaneously,” said Georgia DOT Commissioner Russell R. McMurry on the press release. “The delivery of new freight corridors and upgrades to key interchanges in the Savannah area are great examples of Georgia DOT’s commitment to improving safety on our roadways and mobility for both people and goods.”