The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is seeking comments on America’s Great Corridors of Commerce, a voluntary initiative for utility development along highway and rail corridors. The Build America Bureau leads the effort. USDOT will use the feedback as it develops a process to select corridors for federal coordination and technical assistance.
Under the proposed model, state transportation departments and railroads could establish corridor managers through long-term public-private partnerships. A corridor manager could finance and build an underground utility tunnel within an existing transportation right-of-way. Power, telecommunications, and pipeline companies could lease space to run infrastructure through the corridor.
The approach could give infrastructure providers access to shared infrastructure and reduce the need for separate permitting and construction work as additional utilities join a corridor.
USDOT will accept comments through October 2, 2026. After review, the department plans to seek expressions of interest from corridor owners. It expects to select up to five applicants to participate in the first designation round.