The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and its development partner, Plenary Walsh Keystone Partners (PWKP), expect to finish the 2017 construction season with the opening of its 390th bridge this week.
When this multi-year project is completed, PennDOT will have replaced 558 structurally deficient bridges with its Rapid Bridge Replacement Project.
The 2017 Rapid Bridge Replacement Project successes for PennDOT and PWKP include:
- PWKP has completed 212 bridges so far this year, with another 6 scheduled to complete before the end of year, for a total of 218 completed bridges in 2017;
- 96% of all bridge replacements were on time or ahead of schedule; and
- 284 bridges are now under maintenance responsibility of Walsh Infrastructure Maintenance for the next 25 years.
Bridge replacements to date across 61 counties in Pennsylvania include 241 single span bridges; 12 multiple-span bridges; 129 box culverts; and eight pipe culverts and arch bridges.
The Rapid Bridge Replacement Project is an $899 million public-private partnership (P3) awarded by PennDOT to PWKP. PWKP includes Plenary Group USA Ltd. and Walsh Investors, LLC, which are providing financing and long-term management; a joint-venture construction team of Walsh Construction Company and Granite Construction Company; HDR, Inc., which is the lead design firm; and Walsh Infrastructure Management, which will provide maintenance for a 25-year period upon completion of the bridges.
