In the near future, I plan on introducing legislation that would provide the option for utilities and developers to co-locate high voltage transmission infrastructure along limited access highway corridors on right-of-ways controlled by PENNDOT.
 
When the interstate highway system was built in the 1950s, the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) and Department of Defense (DOD) restricted construction on all right-of-ways controlled by state departments of transportation because they wanted the ability to land aircraft for military purposes.  During the 1980s and 90s, with the advent of telecom, the FHA began lifting the restrictions.  Today, there are no federal restrictions on siting high voltage transmission infrastructure along interstate highways controlled by state DOTs.  However, many state DOTs, including PENNDOT, still prohibit or heavily restrict co-location of high voltage transmission infrastructure on interstate highway corridors.
 
Today, our Commonwealth, like other states, faces escalating demands for electric and grid generation and reliability.  By utilizing existing transportation corridors, this legislation will help remove outdated barriers to grid modernization, limit the need for private property acquisitions for energy transmission projects, reduce regulatory hurdles that slow critical utility development, and help preserve the environment by utilizing existing corridors rather than agricultural land and greenfields.
 
Finally, it should be noted that PENNDOT already allows for co-location of utility lines along state highways.  By allowing for this common-sense option along interstate highways as well – where it is feasible – Pennsylvania consumers will benefit for all the aforementioned reasons.