West Virginia Rails Could Power New Infrastructure | Charleston News

West Virginia’s railroads are eyeing a federal initiative to fast-track critical infrastructure—like power lines, broadband, and pipelines—by repurposing existing railroad and highway corridors. The U.S. DOT’s “America’s Great Corridors of Commerce” plan aims to slash delays and land acquisition costs by letting states and railroads lease space along their routes, funding upgrades while enabling utilities to “piggyback” on established paths. Though West Virginia already has utility corridor systems in place, this federal push could expand those efforts—with private companies managing new underground spaces. But participation is voluntary, and major railroads like CSX and Norfolk Southern will retain control over safety and route decisions. Public input ends September 12—could this be the key to smarter, faster infrastructure development? Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/6a3a4c75922b8314