Volume 12, Issue 3 - Wednesday, January 15, 2020
Interstate 270 in Maryland
Maryland - The state's Board of Public Works (BPW) voted to advance the Traffic Relief Plan, a $9 billion plan to address the nation's second-worst traffic congestion and improve the quality of life for commuters in the region.

Also included in the vote were amendments to the conditional public-private partnership (P3) designation for the plan. The board approved these amendments, which included Maryland and Virginia's 'Capital Beltway Accord' to construct a new American Legion Bridge. The board's authorization allows the state to solicit bids for the bridge.

The P3 program will be delivered through a phased approach, starting with improvements along Interstate 495 from south of the George Washington Memorial Parkway to Interstate 270, and along I-270 from I-495 to Interstate 370.

The other phases of the plan will be put out to bid at a later date.
Rendering of San Diego International Airport Terminal 1
California - The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority Board of Directors certified the Final Environmental Impact Report for the replacement of Terminal 1 at San Diego International Airport.

As part of the $3 billion Airport Development Plan (ADP), the new terminal would feature a total of 30 gates, offer more gate-area seating, and provide more space for restaurants and shops. Energy-efficient upgrades and additional security checkpoints also would be part of the replacement.

The ADP also calls for roadway and transportation improvements, including an on-airport entry road, expanded electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and a bicycle path on Harbor Drive.

Officials hope to begin construction of the new terminal in 2021, and open its first phase, which includes 19 gates, in 2024.

Next steps for the project involve proceeding with a federal environmental review, as well as considering a Coastal Development permit from the California Coastal Commission.
GoTriangle train
North Carolina - A new feasibility study by regional transit authority GoTriangle estimates a new Garner-to-Durham commuter rail system would cost $1.4 billion to $1.8 billion to operate 20 round-trips each weekday.

The Greater Triangle Commuter Rail Study is evaluating infrastructure recommendations, cost estimates and ridership projections for a 37-mile commuter rail line that would transport 7,500 to 10,000 passengers daily and also connect to the cities of Raleigh, Morrisville, and Cary. Another stop would be Research Triangle Park, which is located near Duke University, North Carolina State University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

It also examines scenarios adding Johnston County-Selma and Orange County-Mebane to the proposed commuter rail line. Scenarios that include a Durham to Clayton route and a Hillsborough to Clayton route are being evaluated now, and those results are expected later in January.

All estimates are preliminary and will be updated following additional study and initial engineering work. GoTriangle is working to develop a system that would qualify for Federal Transit Administration Capital Investment Grant funding by meeting ridership, access, and cost criteria.

Transit authority officials said they plan to present the study's findings to local government boards in the coming weeks.
Madawaska-Edmundston International Bridge
Maine - The state's department of transportation (MaineDOT) released a three-year work plan on January 14 that consists of more than $1.6 billion in highway, bridge, and multimodal capital projects. Overall, the work plan contains 2,051 individual items with an estimated value of $2.59 billion.

Capital-related work includes bridge replacements, highway construction and paving, acquisition of buses and ferries, sidewalk construction, and major improvements to airports. Most capital projects in this work plan have undergone or are currently undergoing engineering and will be constructed by private contractors selected through a competitive bidding process.

Replacement of the almost 100-year-old Madawaska-Edmundston International Bridge is the largest project in the work plan at $84 million. The project is set to be advertised in the fourth quarter of 2020. Construction may not begin until 2021 depending on contract, award, and mobilization timing.

The work plan also provides $96.7 million for aviation capital needs statewide. Projects include runway and taxiway reconstruction, safety improvements and devices, and other enhancements to improve airport access and support economic development.

More than $72 million in transit capital needs are funded in the work plan to provide support to Maine's 22 regional and local transit providers.

The plan sets aside about $35.3 million for the Maine State Ferry Service and Casco Bay Island Transit District capital projects and $24.2 million in funding for marine-freight investments and other improvements to public marine facilities.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear
Kentucky - In a departure from the previous administration, Gov. Andy Beshear is leading the state in rebidding its Medicaid managed care contracts.

The state's Cabinet for Health and Family Services issued a request for proposals (RFP) on January 10 to begin the process of establishing new contracts with health care companies to manage benefits for the state's more than 1 million Medicaid enrollees.

Beshear canceled managed care contracts awarded by the outgoing governor's administration in early December 2019. Five of its agreements are set to expire June 30.

Deadline for RFP applications is February 7. Administration officials said their goal is to select providers this spring.
Sea-Tac Airport
Washington - Sea-Tac Airport is experiencing rapid growth in demand, and the state's new Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission has been tasked with finding a suitable location for a new commercial airport.

Two options are being considered: expand an existing airport, or build a new one.

Six locations have been studied over the last 20 years as viable sites for the airport. These include Pierce County, Olympia, Arlington, McCord Field, Paine Field, and Bremerton National. However, this list is likely to change over the coming months. The commission must select six sites by January 1, 2021, and choose a single preferred site by January 1, 2022. Legislation that established this plan also created a timeline for the proposed airport to open by 2040. 

The commission also will determine additional ways to accommodate capacity needs at other aviation facilities. Funding for the new airport would be needed from federal, state, and local sources.
Washington, D.C. - More than $900 million is available for highway and freight projects of national or regional significance in the latest round of Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) competitive grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT).

The department will award grants to large projects of at least $25 million and small projects of at least $5 million. Ten percent of available funds are reserved for small projects. USDOT will award at least 25 percent of INFRA grant funding to rural projects.

INFRA utilizes selection criteria that promote projects with national and regional economic vitality goals while leveraging non-federal funding to increase the total investment by state, local, and private partners. The program also incentivizes project sponsors to pursue innovative strategies, including public-private partnerships (P3s).

Application deadline is 11:59 p.m. EST on February 25.
Rendering of proposed Empire Station Complex
New York - Gov. Andrew Cuomo is proposing to add rail capacity by redeveloping and linking Penn Station and Moynihan Train Hall into a new Empire Station Complex. Along with developing additional property, the plan would increase track capacity by 40 percent, increase passenger terminal capacity, ease congestion, and add new development opportunities.

The plan would be overseen by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), which will be responsible for planning the Penn Station transformation and the transportation components of the project. The MTA would work in conjunction with another firm, which will be responsible for establishing a general project plan.

Penn Station currently serves more than 650,000 passengers every day. Its corridors and waiting areas are overcrowded, and its tracks are over capacity. The proposed Empire Station Complex will add at least eight new tracks and serve as an expanded, interconnected train and subway complex.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz
Minnesota - Gov. Tim Walz is proposing that the state borrow $276 million to invest in affordable housing across Minnesota. The governor's proposal would benefit the homeless, seniors, families, and veterans who are unable to enter the market.

The affordable housing projects are part of the governor's Local Jobs and Projects Plan, which totals an estimated $2 billion and includes other areas of focus such as water quality and infrastructure.

A total of $200 million in housing infrastructure bonds would be awarded to developers through a competitive bidding process. The plan also calls for $60 million for rehabilitating public housing, and $14.9 million for modernizing state-run veterans homes.

The 2020 legislative session opens February 11.
Trenton kicks off lead service line replacement program
New Jersey - Officials have announced that over the next five years, all 37,000 of Trenton's lead water pipes will be replaced for an estimated cost of $150 million.

Trenton Work Works (TWW) draws water from the Delaware River to serve approximately 200,000 customers in the city and surrounding communities of Ewing, Hamilton, Hopewell, and Lawrence. Replacement of the lead pipes will occur in phases.

Funding is currently coming from the state infrastructure bank and from a federal program.

Residents must register online to have their pipes replaced, as well as cover $1,000 of the cost. About 7,000 residents have registered already, and officials hope to make the replacement cost-free in the future.

The city has an inventory of its lead pipes, though homeowners and businesses are responsible for pipes that stretch from the street to their building. Information regarding these pipes is difficult to obtain, as original plans are not always up to date. However, the city will replace all lines with copper pipe, which will eliminate the issue.

TWW's Lead Service Line Replacement Program is part of a $405-million, six-year, capital plan involving several projects, including upgrades to the water-filtration plant and water-distribution system, decentralized water storage, in-house engineering, control technology, improved security, facilities upgrades, and heavy equipment and fleet-vehicle replacements.
   View our Government Contracting Pipeline and Texas Government Insider newsletter archives
Washington, D.C. - Since the previous Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) was signed into law in 2018, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has recommended 17 projects for the next WRDA.

The flood control, dredging, river locks, and ecosystem restoration projects will cost an estimated $9 billion. If approved, other projects will be added to the list for a total of 52 projects.

Lawmakers hope to pass additional legislation in the new WRDA that would make it easier to appropriate more money from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund. All projects that would be part of the WRDA would require annual appropriations.

Additionally, they hope the new bill will encourage non-federal leadership and remove barriers that can impede non-federal parties from investing in their own water resources infrastructure.

Officials plan to introduce and pass the new WRDA this year.
Madison High School modernization rendering
Oregon - Portland Public Schools voted to develop a $238 million bond package to cover cost overruns from projects approved in 2017.

Renovations of Madison and Benson high schools, as well as construction of a new Lincoln High School and Kellogg Middle School, were originally estimated to cost $790 million. However, the school board hired a firm to audit the plans in 2018. The firm revealed that total costs would exceed $1 billion.

In December, crews constructed some of the walls for the new Kellogg Middle School, and also broke ground on the new Lincoln High School.

The bond measure would be placed on the November ballot, with a majority of voters in favor of the school construction bond according to a survey conducted by a polling firm.
Eakins Oval Park
Pennsylvania - This year will bring many changes to parks in and around Philadelphia. The list of projects varies from reimagining a storied pier, to adding new pools and playgrounds.

Eakins Oval will be activated as a permanent public park. This space in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Arts is an extended parkway with large-scale attractions. The city is still in the early planning stages, but officials said they plan to issue a request for proposals (RFP) and select a firm this year.

Another project is the Schuylkill Crossing, which will connect Grays Ferry to Bartram's Mile via a new swing bridge over the Schuylkill River. The $13 million project is set to be open this year. An off-road pedestrian trail will be created to link Center City to Grays Ferry. This $12 million project will include paths and cable-stayed bridges, and should be completed in 2022. 

Other projects involve Graffiti Pier, which will be turned into a public park in the future; a sit-down area and mini park at a site near 3rd and Market streets; a multi-sport athletic field at Parkside Evans, which will be open to the public in the spring; and FDR Park, which will receive more than $200 million in upgrades and additions, including elevated boardwalks, a man-made hill for skyline views, and food concessions.

Columbus Square Park will feature a new community lawn space worth $2.6 million in renovations, and construction likely will begin in 2021 on the cap park over Interstate 95 on the Delaware River.
Interstate 84 in Idaho
Idaho - Gov. Brad Little recently announced his top funding priorities, which include transportation and infrastructure with a budget of $100 million. The budget consists of mostly state and federal funding, and some federal relief funding.

The emergency relief funds will go toward the Clear Creek area in North-Central Idaho that was damaged by flooding in recent years.

Road projects that are part of the plan include improvements to Interstate 84 and Highway 95, and bridge work on Interstate 90. About $15 million will go toward the expansion of Chinden Boulevard near Ten Mile. 

Overall, the state faces a large backlog of deferred infrastructure maintenance, which requires a total of $150 million just to maintain.
March 2-4, 2020 / Dallas, Texas
The Public-Private Partnership (P3) Conference & Expo unites leaders from states and localities, higher education institutions, and public agencies, with industry to discuss infrastructure challenges faced nationwide; and how innovations in project delivery, procurement, life cycle asset management, and technology can help solve issues.

Join us at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel, 400 N. Olive St., for the year's biggest P3 event as we explore the future of public infrastructure and advancements in the P3 model. Over 150 presenters will discuss active and upcoming projects, sharing key insights for leveraging private sector resources for public infrastructure.

Our 2020 program will present a series of keynotes, case studies, panels, workshops, and diverse networking opportunities designed for attendees to deepen their understanding on the value proposition of P3s, and the role they can play in the delivery of essential public infrastructure.

Connect with over 1,350 participating delegates from around the world for in-depth learning, business development, and networking opportunities with an elite mix of owners, developers, contractors, and service providers engaged in public-private partnerships.

The P3 Conference is designed for all levels in the market including those beginning to explore P3s and seeking to better understand where alternative and accelerated project delivery methods can be applicable.

Advance registration deadline is January 31. Sign up today!
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE


Oregon - Kris Strickler, director of the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), recently named Brendan Finn as director and Della Mosier as deputy director of ODOTs new Office of Urban Mobility and Mega Project Delivery. Finn most recently served as the transportation policy advisor for Gov. Kate Brown. Before that, he spent 19 years at the city of Portland where he rose to chief of staff for a Portland city commissioner. Mosier previously worked as ODOT's Region 4 Tech Center manager and interim area manager.

Illinois - The Illinois Board of Higher Education selected Ginger Ostro as its new executive director. Ostro is the interim chief financial officer and vice president of financial operations at Chicago State University. Previously, she served in multiple roles in education around the state and for six years in the Governor's Office of Management and Budget where she rose to director.

Wisconsin - Walworth County recently appointed Mark Luberda as its new county administrator, effective January 20. He will take over for David Bretl who is retiring. Luberda is the director of administration for the city of Franklin, Wisconsin. He previously served as town administrator for Caledonia, Wisconsin.

New Jersey - The Port Authority of New York-New Jersey named James Gill as general manager of Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), effective January 27. He will take over for interim general manager Douglas Stearns who will become a senior adviser in the Aviation Director's Office at the authority. Gill previously served as chief financial officer-deputy airport director for the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority in North Carolina and chief executive officer and president of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority in Michigan.

California - The Mountain View City Council appointed Kimbra McCarthy as city manager on January 14. She is scheduled to start on March 2 to succeed Dan Rich who announced his retirement as city manager in August 2019. McCarthy is the assistant city manager for administrative services at Redwood City, California. Prior to that position, she served as deputy city manager for Mountain View.
Connect with us on social media!

About Government Contracting Pipeline

Strategic Partnerships, Inc.
Devin Monk, Editor
Ph: 512-531-3900
www.spartnerships.com
Government Contracting Pipeline, a publication of Strategic Partnerships, Inc., is a free, weekly newsletter detailing important happenings nationwide and the premier source for federal, state and local government news and contracting opportunities.
Note to media: Need expert commentary on procurement issues relating to public-sector entities, public-private partnerships (PPPs/P3s), state agencies or decision-makers? Give us a call at 512-531-3900, and we'll arrange an interview for you with one of our experts.

Permission to reproduce, reprint: This newsletter may be reproduced, and all the articles within may be reproduced without permission when credit is given to the author (if listed) and Government Contracting Pipeline, a publication of Strategic Partnerships, Inc., and the company website, www.spartnerships.com is listed.

For information about SPI's products and services:  sales@spartnerships.com
 
© 2020 Strategic Partnerships, Inc. All rights reserved.
Strategic Partnerships, Inc., 901 S. Mopac Expressway, Ste. 1-100, Austin, TX 78746
SafeUnsubscribe™
Forward this email | Update Profile | About our service provider
Sent by editor@spartnerships.com in collaboration with
Constant Contact
Try email marketing for free today!