Notice2026-18521
America's Great Corridors of Commerce; Request for Information
Primary source
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Published
September 11, 2026
Issuing agencies
Transportation Department
Abstract
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.
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 175 (Friday, September 11, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 175 (Friday, September 11, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57959-57962]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-18521]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Office of the Secretary
[Docket No.: DOT-OST-2026-3269]
America's Great Corridors of Commerce; Request for Information
AGENCY: Office of the Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy,
U.S. Department of Transportation.
ACTION: Request for Information (RFI).
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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.
DATES: Written comments are due by October 2, 2026. DOT will consider
comments filed after this date to the extent practicable.
ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted electronically or by email
or U.S. mail. Respondents are encouraged to submit comments
electronically to ensure timely receipt. Please include your name,
title, organization, postal address, telephone number, and email
address.
<bullet> Electronic Submission: Go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>.
Search using the docket number provided above. Follow the instructions
for sending comments.
<bullet> Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c38284808083a7acb7eda4acb5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="dd9c9a9e9e9db9b2a9f3bab2ab">[email protected]</span></a>. Include the docket number provided
above in the subject line of the message. Please include the full body
of your comments in the text of the electronic message and as an
attachment.
<bullet> Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket
Operations, West Building 5th Floor, Room W58-213, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
<bullet> Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name
and docket number.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Morteza Farajian, Ph.D., Executive
Director, Build America Bureau, 202-366-0797, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fcbdbbbfbfbc989388d29b938a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="fcbdbbbfbfbc989388d29b938a">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Significant and immediate investment in longitudinal utility
infrastructure is essential to meet the surging energy and power needs
of critical manufacturing and emerging technologies that drive
America's security, prosperity, and global leadership. Similarly,
transportation agencies and companies require additional resources to
fund capital improvements and address deferred maintenance. Through
AGCC, DOT seeks to leverage existing highway and rail ROWs in a safe
and strategic manner by facilitating meaningful
[[Page 57960]]
colocation of multiple utility assets, including electric and
communications infrastructure. This initiative will build, in record
time, a new backbone for the world's strongest economy while
maintaining operational flexibility for ROW owners and enabling revenue
generation. AGCC directly addresses the national emergency established
by Executive Order 14156 regarding the inadequate U.S. power grid and
energy supply and need for a more reliable, diversified, and affordable
supply of energy.
While utility colocation within the ROW is technically feasible and
has been implemented to some degree in the United States, installations
are typically assessed and executed on a case-by-case basis without a
comprehensive and strategic commercial, technical, and financial plan.
This fragmented process increases time and resource demands, creates
inefficiencies, and restricts the ability to scale efforts effectively.
In contrast, through the Build America Bureau's AGCC initiative, the
Department will unleash the full power of America's transportation
corridors by harnessing the Administration's decisive leadership to
unite Federal, State, and private partners.
As a part of AGCC, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation will lead
an interagency Federal task force aimed at marshaling Federal resources
and relevant permitting agencies and authorities to expedite and scale
colocation in AGCC corridors. The task force will provide technical
assistance and coordination for designated AGCCs.
Key goals of AGCC are to:
<bullet> Drastically accelerate the siting, permitting, and
financing of linear utility infrastructure projects, including
electrical transmission lines, water pipelines along highways,
pipelines along railways, fiber optic, and rural broadband along
corridors where colocation is safe, technically and operationally
feasible, and in demand through an innovative P3 model and leasing
concept.
<bullet> Incentivize data centers, manufacturing facilities, and
distribution hubs to locate close to AGCC corridors to leverage a
``plug and play'' model for easy connectivity to new utility corridors,
maximizing underused transportation assets and spurring significant
economic benefits to States and regions in record time.
<bullet> Provide a new opportunity for utility and
telecommunication companies in addition to the existing siting options.
<bullet> Provide the backbone needed by State DOTs and railroads to
deploy technology projects, safety equipment, signs, Intelligent
Transportation Systems (ITS), autonomous capabilities, Wi-Fi, and
potentially electricity.
<bullet> Enhance the value of highway and rail ROWs by creating
financial incentives to allow for installation of these valuable
utility corridors.
<bullet> Simplify the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
review processes for colocation of utility infrastructure within
transportation ROWs by helping project developers identify and leverage
existing Federal tools. Categorical Exclusions (CEs) generally have the
shortest analysis and review timeline and are reserved for actions that
Federal agencies have determined will not have a significant impact
based upon previous projects and analyses. Projects within the AGCC
program will most likely fall under one or multiple CEs, as they will
largely take place within the transportation ROW and environmental
disturbance will be limited. Information on AGCC concierge services and
broader permitting efficiencies, including applicable CEs and
environmental review resources available to both AGCC program
participants and independent developers is available on the AGCC web
page.
<bullet> Coordinate financial tools and resources to reduce
deployment costs or increase revenue opportunities from value creation.
<bullet> Assist State DOTs and railroads in effectively managing
their ROW by eliminating administrative and operational burdens of
utility coordination. The AGCC model establishes a single point of
responsibility for negotiating access to ROWs and coordinating between
various players. This saves time and resources for ROW owners, enabling
them to focus on their core responsibilities.
Key benefits of supporting the coordinated and efficient
development of linear utility infrastructure in the transportation ROW
include:
<bullet> Cost Reduction and Efficiency Gains: In contrast to
conventional colocation initiatives, AGCC enables macro-level cost
savings and expedited project delivery leading to lower costs and
increased utility deployment to meet the needs of both the public and
industry. The program minimizes the need for new ROW acquisition and
reduces development costs.
<bullet> Strategic Industrial Land Use: Land adjacent to highways
and railways outside of the ROW, often undervalued due to environmental
factors like noise, can be repositioned for high value uses such as
data centers, advanced manufacturing facilities, or distribution hubs,
leading to increased economic activity and tax revenues for states and
localities. It also frees up higher value land situated further from
highways and railroads for residential or mixed-use development.
<bullet> Achieving Economies of Scale: AGCC seeks to enable value
creation by encouraging technical efficiencies, such as shared
trenching or tunneling, standardized engineering protocols, and
consolidated procurement, that provide a faster and less expensive
alternative to existing development options.
<bullet> Generation of Revenue: ROW leasing and utility hosting
arrangements can open new, recurring revenue channels. Revenues 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.
<bullet> Reducing Utility Rates: Colocating businesses and
activities that use significant utilities along one line prevents the
need for extensive, scattered grid transmission upgrades and the need
to coordinate with too many landowners. This strategic utilization of
ROWs and clustering can minimize the total capital investment required
to provide reliable power, ultimately lowering transmission costs and
creating downward pressure on residential user rates.
<bullet> Utilization of Previously Developed Land: By focusing on
existing transportation ROWs, AGCC projects will be treated as
brownfield developments, rather than greenfield expansions. This
approach reduces environmental disturbance, leverages existing
infrastructure (roads, utilities, grading), and lowers remediation and
construction costs.
AGCC is a P3 initiative in which a private entity (concessionaire)
is procured by a highway or rail ROW owner to act as their Corridor
Manager. The Corridor Manager activities will include but not be
limited to: design, build, finance, operate and maintain dedicated sub-
surface channels (e.g., via boring or tunneling) and associated
infrastructure along highway and rail ROWs for a period of time
(typically 30-50 years) under certain terms and conditions specified by
the ROW owner. The concessionaire will also act as business developer
for the corridor, providing utility companies access to the space under
a lease agreement and annual lease payments.
Discover more about the AGCC initiative in the sections below or by
visiting the AGCC web page.
[[Page 57961]]
II. P3 Approach to Delivering Utility Colocation Projects
The AGCC model seeks to engage multi-industry P3s to promote
broader use of the transportation ROW to generate commercial and public
benefits while protecting ROW owners' control. Under the AGCC P3 model,
the ROW owner may negotiate a contractual agreement with a private
entity to serve as a Corridor Manager. The Corridor Manager may act as
the central project leader and take on responsibilities such as
business development, design, construction, finance, and long-term
operation and maintenance. U.S. DOT seeks to maximize optionality for
State departments of transportation and railroad ROW owners in
selecting the delivery and construction method that is the best fit for
their specific state or regions and will provide technical assistance,
tools and resources to assist delivery of the project.
One likely delivery method for AGCC projects on either highway or
rail corridors will be developing an underground utility tunnel capable
of colocating multiple infrastructure items. Benefits of undergrounding
vary by geography but can include economies of scale from digging once,
greater reliability and resiliency of utilities, improved public safety
risks and making efficient use within corridors located in high
population areas. For underground AGCC projects, the Corridor Manager
can be responsible for building the underground utility tunnel and
leasing space to the utility and telecommunication companies. The
Corridor Manager can also manage those leases and collect/share revenue
with the ROW owners based on pre-negotiated contractual terms or
resource sharing agreements. In some cases, these underground utility
tunnels or conduits may be eligible for financing by the Build America
Bureau's TIFIA or RRIF loans or Department of Energy (DOE)'s Energy
Dominance Financing (EDF). While the utility items themselves may be
financed in part by federal loan programs such as EDF, or the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), they could also be financed
directly by private sector or utility companies to avoid requiring
compliance with certain federal regulations. U.S. DOT will bring to
bear sufficient resources and prioritization to expedite environmental
review (NEPA) while also working in concert with federal permitting
agencies to provide the necessary permits for these projects for all
utilities up front. Operating in this way can provide certainty to the
ROW owner and businesses looking to access these corridors that all
environmental and permitting is completed.
For AGCC highway projects that choose above ground utilities in the
ROW, the Corridor Manager can be involved in any development of utility
infrastructure working directly with the utility and telecommunications
companies, the details of which will be negotiated by those private
parties. The Corridor Manager can also be responsible for the same
lease negotiation, revenue collection or resource sharing activities
listed above. Project sponsors who choose above ground--or a hybrid
approach--electric transmission and colocation of related
infrastructure items may receive the same concierge environmental and
permitting expedition by U.S. DOT and other federal agencies.
Regardless of the building method employed by project sponsors, U.S.
DOT may favor applications for AGCC designation in states and regions
that have state-level environmental policies, utility accommodation
policies and permitting policies that are in sync with the
environmental and permitting streamlining at the federal level.
III. AGCC Designation
The Department will establish a process to designate and prioritize
AGCC candidates to receive technical assistance and concierge services
with a focus on planning, siting, permitting, and financing. DOT
intends to designate up to five AGCCs per year. The broad AGCC
colocation and P3 concept may be utilized by any ROW owners, regardless
of official AGCC designation, and the Department will provide
informational resources to support broader application of the concept.
However, only designated AGCCs would receive specialized Federal
concierge services. To maximize these benefits, ROW owners should align
their state and utility accommodation policies with the concierge
services being introduced by Federal partners.
It is envisioned that the Department will establish an interagency
Federal task force to provide technical assistance and coordination for
the designated AGCCs. Each designated AGCC would have dedicated Federal
points of contact to provide concierge services aimed at reducing
administrative delays, minimizing interagency conflicts, maximizing
available financial resources, and lowering compliance costs. The
Federal task force efforts would focus on two primary areas:
1. Streamlining and Expediting NEPA Review and Permitting
Processes: Each designated corridor's Federal point of contact will be
responsible for convening and coordinating resource agencies to ensure
compliance with NEPA and other related environmental laws and
regulatory requirements. This will include reviewing potential project
impacts and recommending a NEPA class of action, with an emphasis on
utilizing available categorical exclusions (CEs). This permitting
concierge service will also include convening relevant Federal
permitting agencies to prioritize and coordinate the necessary Federal
permits in an expedited manner and to the fullest extent of the law
allowed under One Federal Decision.
2. Streamlining and Unifying Access to Federal Funding and
Financing Programs: Designated corridors would receive technical
assistance to apply for planning grants, use technology tools, and
navigate state level environmental reviews and utility accommodation
policies.
While the availability of the Federal task force concierge services
would be limited to designated AGCCs, the broader transportation
community will benefit from the resources, best practices, and lessons
learned developed through this effort.
IV. Key Elements of AGCC Designation Process
DOT intends to solicit proposals from ROW owners through an annual
Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI). The AGCC Federal task force
would screen proposals for alignment with AGCC goals related to market
demand, corridor readiness, financial feasibility, streamlining
efforts, and stakeholder support, and may provide geospatial resources
to support the identification of corridors that are good AGCC
candidates. The task force would also consider State and local
commitments to streamline and expedite permits and environmental
reviews and provide funding and financing incentives while evaluating
AGCC proposals. The Federal task force intends to prioritize longer
multi-state corridors with regional significance.
V. Request for Information
DOT seeks comments and recommendations from all interested
stakeholders regarding the AGCC model and the proposed elements of
DOT's anticipated approach to implementing the voluntary, applicant-
driven AGCC designation process as described above. In addition, DOT
seeks comments and recommendations on the following specific questions:
1. What are the most critical challenges and barriers to deploying
the
[[Page 57962]]
AGCC concept as described in the RFI? How can these challenges and
barriers be mitigated? What actions and resources can the Federal
government provide to help mitigate these barriers? Please consider
factors such as:
a. Technical feasibility, including proximity, construction, and
other technical feasibility considerations and/or limitations of
colocating utilities in the transportation ROW and/or of colocating
multiple utilities within an underground tunnel (channel) or above
ground in the outer limits of the ROW.
b. Safety during construction, operations, and maintenance.
c. Siting, planning, and permitting.
d. Funding and financing, design, development, construction,
operations, and maintenance.
e. Construction timeliness.
f. Federal and State regulations and policies.
g. Community engagement and acceptance.
h. Market limitations.
2. What can be done to minimize challenges and complexities or
maximize opportunities for projects that cross jurisdictional borders?
Please consider factors such as:
a. Revenue sharing across transportation and utility jurisdictions.
b. Financial and operational liability across transportation and
utility jurisdictions.
c. Utility service across transportation utility jurisdictions.
d. Interstate cooperation and coordination.
e. Laws, regulation, and utility accommodation policies.
3. What are challenges, complexities, opportunities, and
recommendations related to the proposed voluntary AGCC P3 model
described in this RFI? How can the Federal government support
procurement in this context? In your response, consider the template P3
Term Sheet developed by the Build America Bureau [<a href="https://www.transportation.gov/grants/agcc/p3-term-sheet-example">https://www.transportation.gov/grants/agcc/p3-term-sheet-example</a>]. This
document is intended solely for illustrative purposes and does not
constitute prescriptive guidance or requirements from the U.S.
Department of Transportation.
4. What forms of technical assistance or support would help ROW
owners, utilities, and project developers more effectively deploy AGCC
corridors? Specifically consider the types of support that would be
most helpful from the Federal interagency task force, considering the
anticipated support described in this RFI.
5. Please comment on the approach to designate AGCCs described in
this RFI. What are the potential positive and negative impacts of such
an approach? How could this process be altered or improved?
6. Would the AGCC model accelerate deployment of power and
communications infrastructure versus traditional greenfield projects?
What are the potential regional economic and industrial development
impacts of the AGCC model compared to traditional greenfield projects?
7. A goal of AGCC is to leverage opportunities to co-develop
utility projects in support of increased affordability for utility
ratepayers. AGCC seeks to catalyze opportunities for diverse, least-
cost, least-risk resources which will not unnecessarily increase
utility rates. Are there design elements of AGCC that are important to
consider to ensure success of this goal?
VI. Disclaimer
This is solely a request for information; DOT is not accepting
expressions of interest in response to this RFI. DOT may or may not
elect to issue an RFEI in the future based on or related to the content
and responses to this RFI. Respondents may respond to as many or as few
questions or topics as they wish. DOT will not respond to individual
submissions or publish a compendium of responses. DOT may request
clarification of responses to this RFI through direct contact with
respondents. Any information obtained as a result of this RFI is
intended to be used by the Government on a non-attribution basis for
planning and strategy development. Responses to this RFI will be
treated as information only. Responses to this RFI do not bind DOT to
any further actions related to these topics.
VII. Confidential Business Information
Because information received in response to this RFI may be used to
structure future programs and/or be made available to the public,
respondents are strongly advised NOT to include any information in
their responses that might be considered business sensitive,
proprietary, or otherwise confidential. If a respondent chooses to
submit business sensitive, proprietary, or otherwise confidential
information, it must be clearly and conspicuously marked as such in the
response. Failure to comply with these marking requirements may result
in the disclosure of the unmarked information under the Freedom of
Information Act or otherwise. The U.S. Federal Government is not liable
for the disclosure or use of unmarked information and may use or
disclose such information for any purpose.
Signed in Washington, DC, on September 8, 2026.
Morteza Farajian,
Executive Director, Build America Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2026-18521 Filed 9-10-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P
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