Warehouse Moratorium Sought in Suburban Georgia to Slow Road Damage

Traffic from the area's booming distribution centers is damaging local roads and causing concern among residents.

1 minute read

January 27, 2021, 7:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Savannah, Georgia

A truck on the Talmadge Bridge over the Savannah River. | Tom Dorsz / Shutterstock

Henry County, Georgia is booming with distribution centers and warehouses that have driven close to 35% of the county's growth over the last decade and a half. "The success, however, has come at a cost," reports Leon Stafford in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The massive warehouses, some as big as 20 football fields, have put unprecedented strain on the county's roads and caught officials unprepared for the backlash and damaged infrastructure. "Roads are choked with truck congestion, which in turn has made potholes cracking under the weight of tractor-trailers ubiquitous," writes Stafford.

Some county leaders are proposing a moratorium on additional warehouses until a plan to fix damaged roads, better accommodate trucks and passenger cars, and implement future taxes can be worked out. Others worry the move could endanger the county's relationship with major employers and send an anti-business signal to companies considering a move to Henry. The county sits squarely in the path of goods leaving the ports at Savannah, but "the state’s push to connect that business to Hartsfield Jackson International Airport did not come with adequate road expansions for distribution hubs like Henry that became part of the system." The Board of Commissioners delayed a vote on a moratorium last month, citing a need for further study.

Tuesday, January 19, 2021 in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

The Seat of Government

Good Planning Under Bad Leadership

Planners must sometimes work under bad leadership. Here are suggestions for responsive planning in challenging political environments.

February 3, 2025 - Todd Litman

Close-up of Donald Shoup during interview.

Legendary Parking Guru Donald Shoup Dies at 86

Urbanists are mourning the loss of a dynamic voice for parking reform and walkable cities.

February 10, 2025 - StreetsBlog NYC

Amtrak train with downtown Seattle in background.

Amtrak Cascades Line Breaks Ridership Record

The route linking Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, BC served nearly one million riders in 2024.

February 2, 2025 - Daily Hive

Vacant interior of open plan office with large buildings and stacked wood planks on floor.

Over 71K Office-to-Apartment Units in the Pipeline for 2025

Adaptive reuse projects are continuing to bring thousands of new housing units onto the market as demand for office space remains low.

5 hours ago - RentCafé

Crane and construction on multi-story buildings in downtown Houston, Texas.

How Houston Can Be a Model for Housing Reform

The city builds more new housing than almost any other and has dramatically reduced homelessness, yet low-income families struggle to find affordable housing.

6 hours ago - Urban Edge

Small rural USPS post office in manufactured one-story grey building with American flag in front.

Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes

Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.

7 hours ago - Cowboy State Daily