Put Power Lines on Highways? DOT's Wild Corridor Plan
Published Date: 8/18/2026
Notice
Summary
Significant and immediate investment in linear utility infrastructure is essential to meet the surging energy needs of critical manufacturing and emerging technologies that drive America's security, prosperity, and global leadership. Highway and rail transportation assets represent significant linear rights-of-way (ROWs) that have traditionally been reserved solely for transportation needs. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT or the Department), through the Build America Bureau, created the America's Great Corridors of Commerce (AGCC) initiative to unleash opportunities for both highway and rail ROW owners to generate revenue streams through utility colocation that can fund transportation improvement projects, while simultaneously delivering significant economic development to these areas. AGCC is a voluntary, applicant- driven process in which ROW owners propose corridors for strategic colocation of utility infrastructure in the transportation ROW through an innovative public-private partnership (P3) model. Selected corridors receive concierge technical assistance and enhanced collaboration from a team of experts from relevant Federal agencies. In this RFI, DOT seeks comments from the public and interested parties on the AGCC model and the proposed elements of DOT's anticipated AGCC designation process.
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Could Put Downward Pressure on Utility Rates
DOT says clustering power and communications in transportation rights-of-way could minimize total capital investment for transmission and create downward pressure on residential utility rates. The document explicitly links strategic colocation to potential lower transmission costs for residential users.
Up to Five Corridors Get Federal 'Concierge' Help
DOT intends to designate up to five America's Great Corridors of Commerce (AGCC) per year; designated corridors would receive concierge technical assistance and dedicated Federal points of contact to help with planning, permitting, and financing. This assistance is limited to corridors that are officially designated.
Long-Term Leases (30–50 Years) Could Create New Revenue
The AGCC model describes procuring a private concessionaire (Corridor Manager) who may design, build, finance, operate, and maintain corridor infrastructure and lease space to utilities under long-term agreements—typically 30 to 50 years—with annual lease payments to ROW owners.
Revenues Could Be Reinvested in National Highways and Rails
The notice states ROW leasing and utility hosting arrangements can open recurring revenue channels that can be reinvested in upgrades along the 160,000 centerline miles of the National Highway System and the 140,000 route miles of the U.S. freight rail network.
May Attract Data Centers and Manufacturers Nearby
DOT explicitly says AGCC aims to incentivize data centers, manufacturing facilities, and distribution hubs to locate close to designated corridors by offering a 'plug and play' model for connectivity, which could spur regional economic development.
Economies of Scale Could Lower Deployment Costs
The RFI describes that AGCC seeks technical efficiencies—shared trenching or tunneling, standardized engineering, and consolidated procurement—to achieve economies of scale and lower development costs for linear utility infrastructure.
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