Transportation secretary announces $11.95M for truck parking in Garden City

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - The nation’s transportation secretary made a stop in Savannah Wednesday, visiting Gulfstream to make a major announcement about the local trucking industry.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced a multimillion-dollar investment for truckers nationwide.

$200 million spread across 14 sites

“$200 million Congress gave us. This has gone to 12 states, 14 different sites, and one of those sites is right here,” Duffy said.

The federal government is giving the Georgia Ports Authority $11.95 million through the Department of Transportation’s INFRA program. The money will build a truck parking area along Georgia State Route 21 in Garden City.

“So we look at the biggest impact with the dollar that we’re spending. There’s a lot of truck traffic coming through because of your port. And so, again, we wanted to have a great impact, Savannah was one of those sites that won the day,” Duffy said.

Savannah is one of two Georgia sites receiving funding — the other is in Monroe County, where 109 new trucking parking spaces will be added on Interstate 75.

More than 275 new parking spaces

The funding will build more than 275 new truck parking spaces. Duffy said many states don’t invest in truck parking, though he said it’s critically needed for drivers hauling freight.

“Often times, about half of the truckers say they look for over an hour to find a spot to park their trucks. And if they can’t park, they’re wasting time looking as opposed to driving. It’s a huge problem,” Duffy said.

Safety concerns on highway shoulders

Duffy said tired drivers with nowhere to park often end up on highway shoulders, making roads more dangerous for everyone.

“These kind of investments that we make are going to be economic drivers that happens through well-rested truckers,” Duffy said.