Northampton County Council (Pennsylvania, U.S.) has announced it is moving forward with the US$35.9 million bridge P3 project in spite of drawing legal challenges from a company that did not submit the winning bid.

Local contractor Kriger Construction has been selected a preferred bidder for the project. Last week, the county council agreed to a contract with the authority by a 7-0 vote.

Northampton County is to become the first municipal government in Pennsylvania to enter into a public-private partnership contract. State law prevents municipal governments from directly engaging in these type of contracts, but Northampton County transferred 33 bridges to its General Purpose Authority to qualify the project for a P3 contract.

This announcement comes after Pennsylvania's public private partnership (P3) Board approved, in November 2015, the bridge rehabilitation PPP project. Under the project, Northampton County was authorized to undertake a PPP to replace 28 bridges and repair six more. In April 2016, Northampton County and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the project.

According to Northampton County Executive John Brown, the use of the PPP model could lower the cost of bridge repairs by 30 % to approximately US$40 million.

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary and P3 Board Chair Leslie S. Richards stated:

“Public-private partnerships are one way that we can leverage private-sector ideas and resources to improve transportation in our state. Whether started by the department or suggested by the private sector, we have many options to deliver improved or new services.”