BNSF Breaks Ground on New Logistics Center

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   BNSF Breaks Ground on New Logistics Center
   

Published: March 14, 2026

GUNTER, Texas — March 2026 — BNSF Railway has officially broken ground on a major new logistics facility in North Texas, marking the beginning of construction on the Logistics Center North Dallas, a large rail-served industrial development expected to strengthen regional supply chains and support continued economic growth in the Dallas–Fort Worth corridor.

The groundbreaking ceremony took place on March 12, 2026, with representatives from BNSF, the city of Gunter, and Grayson County attending to celebrate the start of the project. Once completed, the facility will occupy approximately 944 acres and function as a multi-customer, multi-commodity industrial park offering direct rail service to businesses locating at the site.

Strategic Location Near Dallas–Fort Worth

The logistics center will be located in Gunter, Texas, roughly one hour north of Dallas and about 30 minutes from Frisco, along the rapidly developing State Highway 289 corridor. This positioning places the facility within one of the fastest-growing economic regions in the United States and provides rail customers with improved access to major transportation routes and markets across North Texas.

According to BNSF officials, the logistics center is designed to give companies the ability to quickly establish rail-served operations. By providing pre-planned infrastructure and rail connectivity, the site is expected to reduce development timelines by as much as nine to twelve months for businesses seeking to build warehouses, distribution centers, or industrial facilities.

$500 Million Project

The development represents a significant investment by BNSF. The overall project is expected to cost approximately $500 million, with the first phase of construction projected to take about 19 months to complete.

Once operational, the site will allow multiple industries to ship and receive goods directly by rail. Commodities such as cement, steel, lumber, asphalt, and other construction materials are among the types of products expected to move through the facility, helping reduce highway congestion and transportation costs in the region.

A Collaborative Effort After Years of Negotiations

The project has been several years in the making. Initial plans for the facility were announced in 2023, but the development faced local opposition and zoning challenges that delayed progress. After negotiations between BNSF and city leaders, the parties reached an agreement that allowed the project to move forward, including the addition of buffer zones between the industrial park and nearby residential areas.

Local officials described the groundbreaking as a milestone for the community. Gunter Mayor Karen Souther said the project reflects extensive collaboration between the railroad and local government aimed at balancing economic development with community concerns.

Part of BNSF’s Logistics Center Network

The new North Dallas facility will become BNSF’s sixth logistics center in its national industrial development program. These BNSF-owned sites are designed to attract rail-dependent industries by providing shovel-ready land with direct access to the railroad’s network.

Similar logistics centers already operate in locations including Hudson, Colorado; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Fontana, California; Sweetwater, Texas; and Cleveland, Texas, each serving as a hub for rail-served manufacturing, distribution, and transloading operations.

Economic Impact for North Texas

Local leaders expect the new facility to bring jobs, tax revenue, and industrial investment to the region. By connecting businesses directly to one of North America’s largest freight rail networks, the project is also expected to improve supply chain efficiency for industries operating in the rapidly expanding Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area.

For BNSF, the project represents another step in expanding rail-served industrial development as freight demand grows. As construction progresses over the coming months, the Logistics Center North Dallas is expected to become a major hub for rail-based logistics and industrial activity in North Texas.