Nov 24th 2020 | Posted in Public-Private Partnerships (P3) by Government Contracting Pipeline

Pennsylvania – A state transportation board approved a new program that will allow for the delivery of major bridges through public-private partnerships (P3s).

Philadelphia Bridge

The P3 delivery model will allow the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to direct user fees to fund critical work on major bridges across the state and:

  • Accelerate the renewal of major bridges to ensure public safety.
  • Avoid time and financial impacts of travel diversion resulting from bridge restrictions and closures due to bridge condition.
  • Help offset gas tax revenue losses, as identified by the state Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) and exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic.
  • Ensure users (including out-of-state traffic) contribute fairly to the replacement or rehabilitation of the bridges based on usage.
  • Create a sustainable funding model for the state’s major bridges.
PennDOT will consider the P3 delivery model for major bridges in a geographically balanced manner statewide. Major bridges are structures of significance based on physical size, location, and cost to replace or rehabilitate. These structures are in a condition that necessitates action to enhance safety and to avoid disruptions and community impacts.
By using a P3 delivery method, PennDOT can leverage private-sector innovation to address complex projects and to help ensure the longevity of infrastructure investments.
The Major Bridge P3 program is a component of PennDOT’s forthcoming Pathways initiative, part of the department’s ongoing work to explore sustainable transportation funding options in response to a growing highway and bridge funding gap.