Henry County freight study plan taking shape
HENRY COUNTY — Nearly two months following the Board of Commissioners’ unanimous decision to conduct a freight study, Henry County’s plan is taking shape. Erin Thoresen, the project manager of Gresham Smith, updated commissioners with the plan’s progress at Tuesday’s meeting. Thoresen said the kickoff meeting was Monday, Oct. 26 and it is an 18-month study ending approximately in February 2028. The county’s freight cluster — an area with a high concentration of warehouses, distribution centers and trucking facilities — stretches from McDonough to Locust Grove. The primary corridor follows Interstate 75, with an emphasis on Ga. Highways 20, 81, 42 and 155, McDonough Parkway and Industrial Boulevard. The county will conduct the study in partnership with the Atlanta Regional Commission as well as the cities of McDonough and Locust Grove. The study’s primary objectives will include addressing truck parking needs, reducing traffic congestion and improving worker access to freight industry jobs. “Fifteen years ago, we didn’t see the same usage of fulfillment centers as we see now where goods are shipped into a distribution center, and then they use smaller vehicles to distribute those out to the retailers in the local area,” Thoresen said. “Those are new and evolving
