Like their bridge and highway counterparts, U.S. mass-transit builders are catching the public-private partnership bug. But some issues pose challenges, such as the environmental permitting process and the uncertainty of long-term federal funding.
"State-of-good-repair projects are good candidates for P3s, but the private sector needs clarity of timeframes," said Karen Hedlund, the Federal Railroad Administration deputy administrator. Speaking to attendees of the American Public Transportation Association, she noted that transit agencies might offer stipends for unsolicited proposals to "telegraph serious intent" about pursuing P3s.