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Highway Public-Private Partnerships: Securing Potential Benefits and Protecting the Public Interest Could Result from More Rigorous Up-front Analysis

GAO-08-1052T Published: Jul 24, 2008. Publicly Released: Jul 24, 2008.
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Highlights

The private sector is increasingly involved in financing and operating highway facilities under long-term concession agreements. In some cases, this involves new facilities; in other cases, firms operate and maintain an existing facility for a period of time in exchange for an up-front payment to the public sector and the right to collect tolls over the term of the agreement. In February 2008 GAO reported on (1) the benefits, costs, and trade-offs of highway public-private partnerships; (2) how public officials have identified and acted to protect the public interest in these arrangements; and (3) the federal role in highway public-private partnerships and potential changes in this role. The Senate Finance Committee asked GAO to testify on this report and to highlight its discussion of tax issues. GAO reviewed the experience of projects in the U.S. (including the Chicago Skyway and Indiana Toll Road agreements), Australia, Canada, and Spain.

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Concessions contractsCost analysisCost effectiveness analysisDepreciationFacility managementFederal aid for highwaysstate relationsFinancial analysisHighway planningHighway researchJoint venturesPrivate sectorProgram evaluationPublic key infrastructurePublic roads or highwaysRoad constructionStrategic planningToll roadsTransportation planningTransportation policiesCost estimatesProgram goals or objectivesprivate partnerships