Four shortlisted for Pennsylvania bridges

Four consortia have been invited to submit proposals for Pennsylvania’s Rapid Bridge Replacement project, which involves the replacement of at least 500 bridges within the state, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) said in a statement.

The four teams that will bid to develop, design, build, finance and maintain the portfolio of bridges are:

• Plenary Walsh Keystone Partners: teaming Plenary Group with The Walsh Group;
• Keystone Bridge Partners: comprising InfraRed Capital Partners and Kiewit;
• Commonwealth Bridge Partners: led by John Laing Investments and Fluor; and
• Pennsylvania Crossings: teaming Meridiam Infrastructure with AECOM.

In addition to providing financing for the project, the winning team will also operate and maintain the bridges for a yet-to-be-determined number of years under one contract, while the state will continue to own the bridges.

PennDOT expects to provide project details and requirements to the four shortlisted teams by this summer and to select a preferred bidder this autumn. Construction is slated to begin in the summer of 2015.

“This initiative reflects Governor Corbett’s strong commitment to making the state’s roads and bridges safer and improving mobility,” PennDOT Secretary Barry J. Schoch said in the statement.

In November 2013, Governor Corbett signed a transportation funding bill into law, making an additional $2.3 billion to $2.4 billion available for bridge and road repairs and upgrades. As a result, the Rapid Bridge Replacement project was expanded to include an additional 200 to 300 bridges.

Pennsylvania has identified 4,500 structurally-deficient bridges throughout the state.