Allow Transmission Siting alongside Highways

HB 5940 would allow electric transmission lines within the existing right-of-way of Michigan’s interstates and other limited-access highways. A right-of-way is a strip of land the state, in this case the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), already owns and manages. The existing law prohibits overhead electric transmission infrastructure along highways, forcing new projects onto private property, farmland, and natural areas. Not only does this unnecessarily increase the amount of new natural spaces needed for buildout, but it also increases soil disturbance, erosion, and stormwater runoff while disrupting natural ecosystems. Allowing transmission lines in highway rights-of-way would shift construction onto already developed land, reducing environmental disturbances.

Additionally, using highways means projects can be built faster and at a lower cost, helping deliver more reliable and affordable electricity for Michigan families. HB 5940 would better use existing rights-of-way in developed areas along Michigan highways, maintain MDOT’s oversight of the process, and help modernize Michigan’s outdated electric grid while minimizing environmental damage by using land already dedicated to public infrastructure more efficiently.