P3 Experiences and Lessons Learned from the Maryland Purple Line Project

The Maryland Transit Administration’s (MTA) Purple Line Project is a planned 16-mi east– west light rail transit line between Bethesda and New Carrollton, running just inside the Washington, D.C., area Capital Beltway. The Purple Line has achieved its National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) Record of Decision (ROD) and has been recommended for a FTA Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) in the amount of $900 million. The MTA is advancing the implementation of the Purple Line using a public–private partnership (P3) that involves a contract for a concessionaire having design–build–finance–operate–maintain (DBFOM) responsibilities. The solicitation process schedule has bids due this fall with financial close–notice to proceed expected in late spring or early summer 2016. The MTA initially developed the project assuming a traditional design–bid–build (DBB) approach. During the preliminary engineering phase of the project, the MTA examined various implementation strategies for the Purple Line. The outcome of the process was a decision to advance the Purple Line as a P3, with certain responsibilities staying with the MTA, particularly right-of-way acquisition, third-party agreements, and ridership–fare revenue risk. The Purple Line is only the second transit project in the United States being advanced as a P3. This paper describes the process and factors that led to the decision to use a 35-year DBFOM concessionaire-led contract with availability payments (APs). The paper also discusses the solicitation process and contractual mechanisms to achieve the public and owner goals, honor stakeholder commitments, capture innovation and creativity, and maintain a competitive bid environment. The paper highlights the key elements of P3 project implementation; the particular features of the Purple Line P3 approach; the integration with the FTA, NEPA, and New Starts funding processes; the organizational structures and resources required for the procurement and design–build (DB) phases; and lessons learned for other transit projects considering this approach.

• Record URL:
  • https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/23665
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/9780309450591
• Authors:
  • Benz, Gregory P
  • Kay, Henry
• Conference:
  • 13th National Light Rail and Streetcar Conference
  • Location: Minneapolis Minnesota, United States
  • Date: 2015-11-15 to 2015-11-17
• Publication Date: 2016-9

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 207-221
• Monograph Title: 13th National Light Rail and Streetcar Conference: Transforming Urban Areas
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Circular
  • Issue Number: E-C213
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0097-8515

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Concessions; Construction projects; Contracting; Implementation; Lessons learned; Light rail transit; Procurement; Project delivery; Public private partnerships
• Identifier Terms: Maryland Transit Administration; Purple line (Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority)
• Uncontrolled Terms: Design build finance operate maintain contracts
• Geographic Terms: Maryland
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Finance; Public Transportation; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01672569
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 9780309450591
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Jun 19 2018 2:08PM