Macon being considered as intermediate stop along Atlanta-to-Savannah intercity passenger rail

Georgia’s MACON (41NBC/WMGT) Local officials say we re closer than ever to seeing a high-speed rail service connecting cities across Georgia.

The Atlanta-Savannah Corridor project was made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA) and is still awaiting additional government financing. The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) is exploring five different routes for the project, with one including a route that would connect Atlanta to Macon to Savannah.

No train has picked up passengers at the Terminal Station in Macon since the Nancy Hanks closed in 1971. Robert Reichert, former Macon-Bibb County Mayor and current Chairman of Georgians for Passenger Rail, Inc., is leading efforts to change that.

We have been without passenger rail service since 1971, but we ve been talking about it ever since, Reichert said.

Reichert says Macon being in the heart of Georgia helps its case as the best option for becoming the corridor s intermediate stop. He says the route would connect with existing Amtrak routes that run from Washington, D.C. to New Orleans, and from New York down to Orlando and Miami, Florida.

It s also part of a national network that would literally bring the United States right here to downtown Macon, Reichert said.

According to Reichert, the Georgia Intercity Passenger Rail will benefit Georgia businesses in addition to reducing the number of drivers on interstates.

It s going to be great for passengers, giving them an alternative to driving to locations, Reichert said. However, it’s also beneficial for freight and companies that can move freight more quickly and safely since, when these lines are upgraded to make them safer for passenger train and faster, freight movement also benefits.

Richert is urging the current officials of Macon-Bibb County to back the initiative. Commissioner Stanley Stewart says he s asked for legislation to come forward, ensuring that the commission will be on board.

We re standing here now in this beautiful terminal station, one of the most beautiful stations in the state of Georgia, Stewart said. And we want to make excellent use of it.

Reichert compares the benefit that the intercity rail system could have on Macon to when the interstate highway system reached Bibb County in the 1960s. As he continues to advocate, he hopes residents and county leaders do the same.

We re connecting with the rest of the nation and the world with this network, Reichert said. It could be a huge benefit for us.

GDOT is working to create a Service Development Plan to examine potential routes for the Atlanta-Savannah Corridor, and officials hope to have the plan complete in early 2028.