Northampton County, in Pennsylvania (USA), is preparing a public private partnership (PPP) project to improve county-owned bridges.

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. It is expected that PennDOT will support the County throughout the procurement.

Northampton County is temporarily relinquishing ownership of 33 bridges because county-owned bridges do not qualify for this type of procurement to be reconstructed or replaced.

The project concept was submitted by Clearwater Construction, Inc. of Mercer, PA, for consideration during the unsolicited proposal period in October 2015. PennDOT accepts unsolicited proposals for transportation projects in April and October each year.

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.”