Research - Transportation

Getting to where you need to go is not a problem in Rabun County. Highways, interstate, rail lines, airports, and even multiple ports are all available and easily accessible from our community.

Rabun County is located in northeast Georgia at the crossroads of the main north-south (US 441) and west-east (US 76) highways in the region. Atlanta, Asheville, Athens, and Greenville are all located less than two hours away by truck or car. Interstate 85 is a short 40-minute drive away. Rail lines and local airports are less than an hour by car or truck. Multiple regional and international airports are two hours by road. We are also within an 8-hour drive from all four ports in Georgia.

Roads

The main north-south corridor in Rabun County is Highway 441 (which becomes I-985) and our main west-south corridor is Highway 76. Our closest interstate is I-85, which takes a 41-mile/1-hour drive from Clayton to reach Exit 1 at the South Carolina state line.

To the south, Atlanta is an easy drive, with four or more lanes of highway all the way from Clayton, our county seat, to downtown Atlanta in less than 2 hours. To the north, Asheville is another easy drive on Highway 441 with 4-lines of highway and interstate from the county line to Asheville.

Traffic counts are collected and measured by the Georgia Department of Transportation based on the annual average daily traffic (AADT) volume, which represents all vehicles on a road in a full year divided by the full 365 days in a year. The AADT counts are useful in understanding the relative traffic volumes on different roads but do not provide information on seasonal differences in traffic (which is common in Rabun County) or how many vehicles are heading in one direction or the other.



Click Here to Download Our Complete Table for Rabun County

Click Here to Search the Georgia Department of Transportation’s Database

Highway 441 is a four-lane divided highway that runs north to south through the center of the county. Average annual daily traffic (AADT) volume in Clayton for 2008 were 15,950 average cars per day. Highway 441 continues south as a 4-lane divided highway to Gainesville, Georgia and Atlanta, Georgia where it becomes Interstate 985 and connects to I-85, I-75, and I-285. This highway continues north to Franklin, North Carolina and on toward Asheville, North Carolina and Knoxville, Tennessee.

Highway 76 is a two- to three-lane undivided highway that runs west to east through the middle half of the county. The traffic volume in Clayton for 2008 were 8,030 AADT. Highway 76 continues west to Hiawassee, Young Harris, and eventually becomes I-575 which connects to I-75 into Atlanta. This road also continues east to Greenville, South Carolina. Interstate 85 is accessible just over the South Carolina state line from Highway 76.

Rail Lines

Although Rabun County no longer has its own rail lines, we are within an easy 40-minute drive of multiple rail shipping lines and depots in Stephens County and Habersham County. We are also within a 2-hour drive of the major regional rail hub in Atlanta. Rail is still an option in Rabun County, thanks to our excellent road network and connectivity in the region.

The Stephens County Train Depot {http://railga.com/Depots/toccoa.html} is located in Toccoa and provides rail passenger service with Amtrak. Business railway services are provided by Hartwell Railroad and Norfolk Southern Railroad. Toccoa is a 33-mile/40-minute drive from Clayton.

In Habersham County, Norfolk Southern provides rail connection in Cornelia. Piggyback rail service is also provided by CSX. Cornelia is also a 33-mile/40-minute drive from Clayton.

Intermodal and freight rail hubs {http://www.logisticsatlanta.com/rail.asp} for CSX and Northfolk Southern are both located in Atlanta and can handle all major shipping needs. Products handled include coal, automobiles, agricultural products, chemicals, paper, brick, pulpboard, metals, and construction materials. Atlanta is located 110 miles/2 hours by car from Clayton.

Airports

Rabun County is very accessible by air with multiple regional and international airports within an easy 2-hour drive from Clayton in several directions. We also have our own private airfield capable of handling most private business jet traffic.

Heaven’s Landing {http://www.heavenslanding.com} is a private airfield in Clayton that offers 5,069-foot runway capable of supporting most corporate private jets. Hangar facilities and fuel services are available.

Macon County Airport {http://www.franklin-chamber.com/airport/} in Franklin, North Carolina provides a 4,400-foot runway capable of handling most traffic. This airport provides fuel service, maintenance, and aircraft rental. Franklin is a 22-mile/30-minute drive from Clayton.

The Habersham County Airport {http://www.habershamga.com/airport.cfm} in Cornelia offers a 5,000-foot runway open to all traffic and is capable of accommodating most private aircraft. Fuel and hangar services are available. Cornelia is a 33-mile/40-minute drive from Clayton.

The Toccoa-Stephens County Airport {http://www.airnav.com/airport/KTOC} in Toccoa offers a 5,008-foot runway capable of accommodating most private air traffic. Fuel and hangar services are available. Toccoa is a 33-mile/40-minute drive from Clayton.

Asheville Regional Airport {www.flyavl.com} (a 95-mile/2 hour drive from Clayton) offers an 8,001-foot long runway and regional passenger jet service by Airtran, Continental, Delta, and U.S. Airways.

Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport {www.gspairport.com} (a 85-mile/2 hour drive from Clayton) offers a 11,001-foot runway and international and regional jet service by most major airlines. Business cargo services are also available from all major carriers (FedEx, UPS, DHL, U.S. Postal Service).

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport {www.atlanta-airport.com} (a 108-mile/2-hour drive from Clayton) offers three 9,000-foot runways, one 10,000-foot runway, and one 11,889-foot runway with international and regional jet service by all major airlines. Three cargo service centers are also available with service from all major shipping carriers.

Seaports

Georgia has two seaports at Savannah and Brunswick. Two additional inland ports also exist at Columbus and Bainsbridge.

The Port of Savannah {www.gaports.com} in southeast Georgia is an ocean port that offers 51 piers, wharves, and docks capable of handling all forms of cargo. This port specializes in the handling of container, reefer, breakbulk, and roll on-roll off cargo. A dredged channel 600 feet wide and 40 feet deep at mean low water is maintained to a distance of 7 miles from the sea buoy. The docking ports are the Ocean and Garden city terminals. Repair facilities are provided by Diamond Manufacturing Company and Savannah Machine and Shipyard Company. Savannah is a 291-mile/5-hour and 30-minute drive from Clayton.

The Port of Brunswick {www.gaports.com} in south Georgia has three major terminals. Colonel’s Island Terminal specializes in both roll on-roll off and agri-bulk commodities. Mayor’s Point Terminal specializes in forest products and general cargo. Marine Port Terminals handles breakbulk and bulk commodities. Brunswick is a 350-mile/6-hour and 20-minute drive from Clayton

Port Columbus {www.gaports.com} is an inland port located on the Chattahoochee River in middle west Georgia. This facility offers a dedicated liquid bulk facility for barge traffic. It is accessible via interstate and railroad. This port is a 215-mile/3 hour and 40 minute drive from Clayton by direct interstate travel.

Port Bainbridge {www.gaports.com} is a second inland port located on the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint Waterway in southwest Georgia. The port handles a variety of bulk cargos via barge traffic. It is accessible by interstate and railroad. This port is a 345-mile/5 hour and 50 minute drive from Clayton.

If you would like more information on the transportation network available to Rabun County, Georgia and could not find it here, please do not hesitate to contact us. We’re here to help you grow your business in our community – and we are open for business!