P3

We wrote January 26 that toll financing was never discussed for the $1,045m Presideo Parkway, one of the approaches to the Golden Gate Bridge. That's because an official at Caltrans emailed us in response to a query about why tolls hadn't been discussed: "No discussion about tolls and none anticipated." We were misled.

There's been much talk of a budget problem in the state of California, a "crisis" even. Piffle and hooey. They're obviously rolling in money. They're just launching the pretty - and pretty pricey - Presidio Parkway project. $1 billion+.

Phil Russell who was involved for more than a decade in developing toll projects - public and private - at Texas DOT has been recruited by Lochner of Chicago to be their director of Public Private Partnerships (P3s). He will be based in their newly opened central Texas office in Austin.

Regardless of party, state governors are opposing moves in the US Congress to second guess their arrangements for privatization of roads, toll concessions, or public private partnerships.

Puerto Rico's Public Private Partnerships Authority has hired Macquarie Capital to assist them developing a P3 program. Carlos M Garcia, chairman of the authority is quoted in the announcement as saying that private investment is needed to improve the island territory's infrastructure in high priority areas.

Jacksonville Florida's Outer Beltway project is being revived. Legislation has just been passed clarifying uncertainties in the state's tax treatment of toll concessions, and Governor Crist is expected to sign it any day. Florida DOT's lawyer in charge of toll concession procurement Clay McGonagill told us this morning: "This (legislation) removes a major stumbling block. It's a big help.

The Penn Pike Commission has deferred the response date on their request for concepts/solutions on the completion of the Mon Fayette Expressway and Southern Beltway to Jan 15 2009. Questions will be accepted to Dec 17.

The Commission says it is trying to find investors who can make viable projects out of three remaining segments it cannot fund by traditional public sector toll financing or tax-based grants.

This covers:

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission has issued a Request for Concepts and Solutions to further a public private partnership (P3) to build all or major parts of the uncompleted Mon Fayette Expressway and Southern Beltway near Pittsburgh. About 120 people attended an informational session in Harrisburg at a hotel auditorium not far from the Turnpike's head offices Sept 17.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) has scheduled a meeting Sept 17 in Harrisburg for companies interested in what they call a public private partnership (P3) for the remaining three sections of the Mon Fayette Expressway and Southern Beltway near Pittsburgh. We think it's a toll concession they have in mind. (see Terminology at bottom)

The Nevada Department of Transportation is soliciting proposals for a qualified Consultant to provide Financial, Legal and Technical support for the Pioneer Program Private-Public Partnerships and the Demonstration Project.

The government of Puerto Rico has a major public-private partnership (P3) procurement under way for the island state's major toll road - PR22 - but investors are asking what it is: a real toll concession or just a longterm operations contract?