In 2013, America’s bridges earned a grade of C+. In total, one in nine of the nation’s bridges are rated as structurally deficient. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) estimates that to eliminate the nation’s bridge deficient backlog by 2028, we would need to invest $20.5 billion annually, while only $12.8 billion is being spent currently.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has embarked on the challenge to bundle similar bridge projects together to capitalize on economies of scale to achieve cost saving and quicker construction periods.
Here is the game changer for this week.
Bundle and Save on Bridges – Harrisburg, PA
PennDOT has embarked on an ambitious $899 million Rapid Bridge Replacement Project with construction to begin the summer of 2015 on 558 bridges across the state.
The final list of 558 bridges was determined after screening more than 2,000 bridges.
The private sector team will manage the bridges’ design, construction and maintenance for 25 years after construction under a public-private partnership (P3) contract. Under the agreement, all 558 bridges must be replaced within 36 months. PennDOT will maintain ownership of the bridges.
The P3 contract will allow PennDOT to deliver high-quality bridges and replace the existing bridges more quickly than under the agency’s traditional procurement model. In addition, the project will minimize the impact on motorists during construction.
Every day, new Infrastructure #GameChangers are changing how we build and use infrastructure. ASCE collected these game changing trends in energy, freight, transportation and water infrastructure into an interactive, web-based report at ASCEGameChangers.org. Find out more here, share these trends on social media using #GameChangers, or submit your own #GameChangers project!