Brian Strickland Republican 17 | Georgia General Assembly
Brian Strickland Republican 17 | Georgia General Assembly
ATLANTA (April 10, 2024)— Sen. Brian Strickland (R–McDonough) has praised the joint efforts of the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) and Norfolk Southern Corporation in tackling the issue of train stoppages in McDonough and Locust Grove, Henry County.
“I commend GDOT and Norfolk Southern for hearing the concerns our community raised about trains blocking intersections in McDonough and Locust Grove over the past couple of years,” said Sen. Strickland. He also highlighted that, “This new siding will create a long-term solution by allowing space for trains to pace while traffic flows through Henry County.”
GDOT's recent collaboration with Norfolk Southern Corporation includes funding freight rail improvements in Henry County. Norfolk Southern was granted $8.4 million for their McDonough passing track improvement project under the Georgia Freight Rail Program. The project, with an estimated total cost of $21 million, aims to significantly increase the rail length on Norfolk Southern’s Atlanta South District passing track, linking Macon and Atlanta in Henry County.
This initiative is seen as a pivotal move towards enhancing the efficiency of the freight rail corridor, connecting the Georgia Port Authority Garden City Terminal and the metro Atlanta area. The expansion of the rail length is expected to alleviate road crossings blocked by trains, thereby improving traffic flow and safety in the region.
Sen. Brian Strickland serves as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary and represents the 17th Senate District, covering Morgan and portions of Henry, Newton, and Walton County. He can be contacted at 404.463.6598 or by email at brian.strickland@senate.ga.gov.
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