The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced a new voluntary program called “America’s Great Corridors of Commerce.” The program will allow State Departments of Transportation and railroads to lease rights-of-way along existing highways and tracks for transmission wires, fiber optic lines, water pipelines, and other utilities.

These right-of-way owners can contract with private sector “Corridor Managers” to oversee design, development, operation, and maintenance along these routes. This approach will reduce the need to acquire new private property and can leverage current environmental exemptions to bypass lengthy reviews. DOT says that revenues generated from utility leases will fund repairs and upgrades for the roads, bridges, tunnels, and railroads along the corridor.

DOT asserts the program is needed to compete with China’s rapid develop of high-voltage transmission lines, which powers their growth in advanced manufacturing and Artificial Intelligence technology.