The Ray’s private-public-philanthropic partnerships (P4) are the foundation of our organization, allowing us to execute innovative infrastructure and transportation projects at scale. We continue to lead the way in the industry with partnerships coast to coast. Working in collaboration with federal and state Department of Transportation (DOT) agencies, local communities, and corporate sponsors, we’ve created a proven pipeline for implementing resilient projects.
The Ray expanded and strengthened its partnerships with state DOTs across the country, helping them explore innovative ways to use right-of-way and improve infrastructure projects to be more sustainable and resilient.
DOT Partnership Highlights
In Pennsylvania, The Ray significantly advanced sustainable transportation initiatives through strategic partnerships with both the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). For the PTC, The Ray provided critical support in launching a landmark initiative to develop 20 solar sites across 1,600 acres of right-of-way (ROW). This included facilitating the release of a request for proposals (RFP), leveraging The Ray’s prior GIS corridor analysis, and navigating complex legal considerations to enable the PTC’s first large-scale solar power purchase agreement (PPA). This achievement builds upon The Ray’s ongoing technical assistance to the PTC since 2018, evolving their ROW solar program beyond initial microgrid pilots.
Furthermore, The Ray strengthened these partnerships by connecting both entities with technology leader Geotab and by developing and delivering an Electrification Clinic for medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles (EVs) for the PTC. For PennDOT, The Ray provided strategic guidance by developing an outline for their Zero-Emissions Freight Transportation Plan and initiating the planning stages for a 2025 electrification clinic. Finally, The Ray introduced the PTC to its ROW Transmission tool to explore its potential application and provided synthesized research on zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles to inform future freight transportation planning.
In Michigan, The Ray is a key partner in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) “2040 Vision for Transportation” through its participation in the strategic “Moonshot” program. This initiative fosters peer exchange and accelerates the adoption of innovative transportation solutions. The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) selected ROW solar development as its Moonshot project, and The Ray serves as MDOT’s formal partner, providing critical technical and policy support. To this end, The Ray conducted a comprehensive statewide ROW solar analysis for MDOT, presenting initial findings and identifying potential project sites. This analysis will continue, with the selection of ten priority sites for detailed 3D modeling planned for early 2025.
In Colorado, The Ray partnered with the State Energy Office to support Alamosa County’s successful grant application to the U.S. Department of Energy for the Transmission Siting and Economic Development (TSED) project. This initiative addresses the critical need for expanded transmission capacity in the Upper Rio Grande Valley (URGV) to support the region’s burgeoning renewable energy development. Currently served by a single transmission line, the URGV lacks grid resiliency and redundancy. The Ray’s contribution to the TSED project will focus on conducting a rigorous ROW suitability analysis for proposed transmission routes, ultimately identifying the most feasible option for development.
Transportation + Natural Capital
Beyond solar and transmission projects, The Ray’s expertise in sustainable transportation and natural capital solutions is driving innovation in communities across the country. Leveraging expertise from our natural capital program, we also promote scaleable projects modeled off The Ray Highway and our partnership with Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT).
In Hawaii, following a visit by state leaders to The Ray Highway to explore replicable models, The Ray has partnered with the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) to initiate a ROW solar analysis and is collaborating with HDOT leadership to develop a comprehensive natural capital partnership focused on enhanced roadside vegetation management, including pollinator-friendly and native plantings.
In New Mexico, The Ray is finalizing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the City of Albuquerque and Sunport to provide expertise extending beyond solar analysis to encompass a range of sustainable solutions. This expanded scope includes guidance on electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, the creation of pollinator habitats, and the implementation of nature-based solutions for stormwater management and carbon sequestration.
Moreover, in Florida, The Ray is providing ongoing counsel to the Central Florida Expressway as they develop a new Sustainability Plan. This advisory role leverages The Ray’s knowledge of ROW solar development, pollinator-friendly landscapes, rubber-modified asphalt, and other innovative technologies to inform the Expressway’s sustainability strategy, with continued collaboration planned into 2025 to develop a project-focused plan.
Building a Movement
With a management team active in the eastern, central, and western regions of the United States, our staff is a wealth of knowledge and expertise in navigating the evolving political environment and policy landscape. Additionally, our esteemed Advisory Council features industrialists in mobility, the alternative energies market, geospatial data, power delivery and microgrids. A shortlist of our partners includes:
And we would be remiss to not spotlight our longstanding partnership with the world’s leader in geospatial data—ESRI— advancing the power of geography. Our GIS team are gifted at suitability analysis using our powerful right-of-way software tool, providing crucial data to make informed decisions about real-world project implementation. We can map the scenarios that drive our partners across the finish line. To learn more about our pipeline process, don’t hesitate to schedule a consultation at contactus@theray.org.
Let’s drive the future, together.
Allie Kelly
Meet our team that makes our work possible.