Major Bridge P3 Project
The Major Bridge P3 (MBP3) was approved by the Pennsylvania P3 board in November 2020, for the replacement or rehabilitation of nine major interstate bridges through a progressive P3 delivery model. At that time, PennDOT planned to make annual payments to pay for the work and financing costs on these bridges using mandatory tolling, as was permitted by the Pennsylvania P3 law at the time. Since that time, Act 84 of 2022 amended the P3 law to eliminate mandatory tolling of existing free lanes. The Act also preserved the department's ability to continue the MBP3 and move forward with the Predevelopment Agreement (PDA) with Bridging Pennsylvania Partners. In August 2022, PennDOT chose to move the bridge projects in the MBP3 forward without tolling and pay for the project(s) using existing funds to make annual payments to the development entity over 35 years.
Of the nine bridges, six bridges were identified for Package 1:
- I-80 Canoe Creek Bridges
- I-80 North Fork Bridges
- I-78 Lenhartsville Bridge
- I-80 Nescopeck Creek Bridges
- I-80 over Lehigh River Bridge Project
- I-81 Susquehanna Project
These three bridges will be delivered through traditional methods and not advanced as a second or subsequent package of bridges. By way of further information, the I-83 South Bridge was removed from the PDA on March 21, 2023. The process to allocate funding on the 12-year program to allow the I-83 South Bridge project to advance through the environmental, design and construction phases of the project has been initiated. To expedite this critical project, the department continues to seek federal discretionary funding so the project can be delivered earlier.
PennDOT terminated the PDA for the two remaining bridges on June 6, 2023. The project scopes and available funding for the remaining two bridges are being reviewed as part of our 2025 12-Year Program Update to determine a path forward.
Milestones
- Resolution Ratifying Action of the Public-Private Transportation Partnership Board (PDF)
- Press Release - Public-Private Partnership Board Approves Major Bridge Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Program
- Presentation - Major Bridges P3 Initiative Program Launch (PDF)
- P3 Bulletin - November 12, 2020 - P3 Board Approves Major Bridge Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Program
- PennDOT Major Bridge - RFQ
- Addendum No. 1 to RFQ - July 20, 2021 (PDF)
- PennDOT Major Bridges - RFQ Response No. 1 (PDF)
- PennDOT Major Bridges - RFQ Response No 2 (PDF)
- PennDOT Major Bridges -RFQ Response No. 3 (PDF)
- PennDOT Major Bridge - RFQ Response No. 4 (PDF)
- Press Release - PennDOT Invites Private Industry to Submit Qualifications for Major Bridge Public-Private Partnership Initiative
- P3 Bulletin Vol. 13 - PennDOT Issues Request for Qualifications for Major Bridge P3 Initiative
- Press Release - Three Teams Identified to Move Forward in Major Bridge Public-Private Partnership Initiative Procurement Process
- P3 Bulletin - September 20, 2021 - Three Teams Identified to Move Forward in Major Bridge P3 Initiative Procurement Process
- P3 Bulletin - November 12, 2021 - PennDOT Pathways Major Bridge P3 Initiative Presents Pre-Development Work Outreach Event with the Shortlisted Proposers
- Major Bridge P3 Instructions to Proposers (PDF)
- Major Bridge P3 Pre-Development Agreement (PDF)
- Bridging Pennsylvania Partners: Administrative and Legal Information for the PennDOT Pathways Major Bridge P3 Initiative - Volume 1 (PDF)
- Bridging Pennsylvania Partners: Administrative and Legal Information for the PennDOT Pathways Major Bridge P3 Initiative - Volume 2 (PDF)
- Bridging Pennsylvania Partners: Administrative and Legal Information for the PennDOT Pathways Major Bridge P3 Initiative - Volume 3 (PDF)
In PA, every $1 billion invested in bridge replacement or rehabilitation creates 10,493 jobs and generates $2.2 billion for our state's economy.
10,493 job-years is equivalent to a total of 10,493 years of individual employment over the life of the project.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Major Bridge P3 (MBP3) presented to the Pennsylvania P3 Board in November 2020 contemplated the replacement or rehabilitation of major interstate bridges through a progressive P3 delivery model under which PennDOT and a development entity would enter into a Pre-Development Agreement (PDA). The PDA focused on nine interstate bridges to be packaged for delivery through one or more Design-Build, Finance and Maintain (DBFM) agreements.
Of the nine bridges, six bridges were identified for Package 1:
- I-80 Canoe Creek Bridges
- I-80 North Fork Bridges
- I-78 Lenhartsville Bridge
- I-80 Nescopeck Creek Bridges
- I-80 over Lehigh River Bridge Project
- I-81 Susquehanna Project
PennDOT terminated the PDA for Package 2 on June 6, 2023. The process to allocate funding on the 12-year program to allow the I-83 South Bridge project to advance through the environmental, design and construction phases of the project has been initiated. To expedite this critical project, the department continues to seek Federal Discretionary funding so the project can be delivered earlier.
The project scopes and available funding for the remaining two bridges are being reviewed as part of our 2025 12-Year Program Update to determine a path forward: