Rapid Bridge Replacement Project Wins 'Transportation Project of the Year' Award
April 13, 2020 07:00 AM
The Rapid Bridge Replacement (RBR) project is a Public-Private Partnership (P3) project that complements the traditional bridge delivery and replacement program administered by PennDOT in an effort to reduce the number of poor bridges in our portfolio. Plenary Walsh Keystone Partners (PWKP) has been selected by PennDOT to replace 558 bridges across the state. Commercial Close (execution of the contract) was achieved on January 9, 2015. The team, which includes over 50 Pennsylvania-based companies, began construction of the bridges in June 2015 and is currently finishing the Design and Construction term of the project.
The commonwealth retains ownership of the bridges, but PWKP is responsible for maintaining each bridge for 25 years after its replacement. The team manages bridge design, construction and maintenance under the contract. The team is responsible for financing the effort and PennDOT will make performance-based payments based on the contractor's adherence to the contract terms. PennDOT will be responsible for routine maintenance, such as snow plowing and debris removal.
As of the end of March 2020, 556 bridges have been replaced and are open to traffic. The remaining 2 bridges are currently under construction, though they have been impacted by the COVID-19 stoppage of work activities. It is still expected that these 2 bridges will be open to traffic by the end of June.
The project was awarded “Transportation Project of the Year" by the Central Pennsylvania March of Dimes at a recent Transportation and Construction awards ceremony. The P3 Office accepted the award on behalf of PennDOT and the project team.