Metro Magazine

APR 2013

Magazine serving the bus and rail transit & motorcoach operations since 1904

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WHY DO YOU THINK ALTERNATIVE PROJECT DELIVERY HAS BEEN SLOW TO TAKE HOLD IN THE U.S.? BRUN-BRUNET: Transit agencies in the U.S. are accustomed to a traditional, well-established approach to transportation project fnancing, which relies very heavily on federal funding. Tat familiarity has, until very recently, given agencies little or no reason to consider alternative procurement schemes. Te federal model is also very prescriptive in terms of technical specifcations, which has left little room for the system design innovation inherent to a private partnership. Now, with less certainty around the long-term fow of federal transportation funding, agencies are beginning to explore creative, outside-the-box ways to address their communities' evolving transportation needs. Hence, the renewed interest. PIERSON: One of the reasons why there's been a little reluctance within transit agencies is because each [diferent form of alternative project delivery] involves some level or degree of loss of control, if you will, by the agency. For example, if you go design-build, instead of detailing and controlling exactly how it's designed, one has to put together performance specifcations around how it would operate and then let the design-build contractor go about ensuring it is delivered within those specifcations. Tere is a range of possibilities within those specifcations and the transit agency, in effect, loses control of where within that range the system falls, but that is what has to happen. Tere is a natural reluctance for that to happen, but that's just human nature. FINALLY, DO YOU EXPECT ALTERNATIVE PROJECT DELIVERY TO GROW IN THE U.S.? BAREND: I think transit is a great market. Tere are a number of cities and states looking at innovative options for PPPs in transit. Te opportunity for cost overruns and schedule delays has been signifcant on diverse projects we've seen in the U.S. that have been traditionally delivered, so I think PPPs present an interesting choice. PIERSON: Nothing succeeds in generating interest like success. So, if you take the [FasTraks] project in Denver, and that becomes a success in that it produces a system with a lower cost and a shorter schedule, other transit agencies are going to look at that and think that if [that agency] can achieve those benefts why can't they? In fact, they will look and say, 'if they can achieve those benefts so can we.' Terefore, transit agencies will have to look at [alternative project delivery], because everyone is constrained on funds, and if they can produce more with less, it's incumbent upon them to do so. I haven't met anybody in a transit agency who isn't interested in producing the same quality of a project faster and cheaper. Underway, Not Under Repair. SMALL BUS HVAC FROM THE BIG BUS EXPERTS ✓ Unmatched Reliability ✓ Superior Capacity ✓ Expert Service & Support www.thermoking.com APRIL 2013 mETRO mAGAZINE > 33

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