The Center for Infrastructure Public-Private Partnership Policy is dedicated to advancing objective considerations of transportation P3s through research, education, and public service. Virginia has been a leader in innovative transportation finance in the U.S. – the Commonwealth’s 1995 Public-Private Transportation Act (PPTA) was one of the first state laws of its type. Virginia’s program has continued to expand with major facility improvements throughout the state as evidence of its impact.
Public sector resources are no longer keeping pace with the maintenance, rehabilitation, and improvement needs of the nation’s transportation infrastructure. Public-private partnerships can supplement and leverage scarce public funding and can deliver significant infrastructure improvements and associated public benefits through the innovation, efficiency, and capital resources available in the private sector.
Limitations of P3s, however, include valid concerns about balancing public and private benefits and risks. Numerous misconceptions also hamper their progress.
Better information and objective analyses are needed to assist public decision-makers as they pursue improved delivery of infrastructure and supplements to traditional funding sources. Targeted education for administrators, elected officials, and the public about transportation P3 policy is essential.
The Center was launched in 2013 with the support of the Commonwealth of Virginia to develop advanced research and education. It is housed within the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University in Arlington, Virginia.