Governor Terry McAuliffe announced that the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) passed a resolution to increase transparency and competition and to better evaluate the public’s risk for projects delivered under the Public Private Transportation Act (PPTA).
“Protecting every dollar that Virginia taxpayers send to Richmond is job one for my administration,” said Governor McAuliffe. “Accordingly, I have asked Secretary Layne to work with the CTB to evaluate the state’s approach to public-private partnerships to ensure that we are giving Virginians the maximum return on their investment in those projects. P3’s are a great tool for accomplishing projects that would not otherwise get done, but only when they are negotiated to put Virginians’ best interests first.”
Transportation Secretary Aubrey Layne added, “While PPTA contracts have made some critical highway projects possible by bringing in private sector equity and innovation, the process needs to be improved to ensure it is used for the right projects and risks are appropriately evaluated and minimized for the public.”
PPTA projects are procured under the Office of Transportation Public Private Partnerships (OTP3). The CTB’s resolution calls for the following:
- The OTP3 will strengthen the transparency of the entire public private transportation project development and delivery, including increasing opportunities for public participation and direct involvement by the CTB in project development.
- The VDOT Commissioner will improve ways to better assess risk with PPTA and design-build projects. The objective is to identify, minimize and limit the risks to VDOT and the public by highlighting “high risk” projects.
Recommendations to implement the reforms will be presented during the CTB by October 2014. CTB members William Fralin and Marty Williams will coordinate the review process.
Link to the resolution: www.ctb.virginia.gov/resources/2014/may/reso/Resolution_Agenda_Item_NB_1_.pdf.
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Chris Graham
