Privatization and the public/private partnership

The national highway system is deteriorating at an alarming rate. Additional highway capacity is needed desperately, as part of multimodal transportation plan designed to increase both mobility and air quality. Allowing the private sector to manage multiple functions of project implementation creates a synergy that goes well beyond what could be achieved by allowing private-sector forces to carry out the various functions independently through simple outsourcing. What remains to be seen is how the various states will assess project needs and structure project delivery and implementation to take advantage of the benefits of design/build, turnkey and superturnkey contracting with the private sector.