State Rep. Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre/Mifflin) recently was selected to serve as a Pennsylvania Public-Private Partnership (P3) Transportation Board member.
The board meets twice annually to review solicited and unsolicited projects to determine if transferring certain project risks, such as design and construction, to the private sector would be more cost-effective than traditional public funding. It evaluates agreements between public agencies and private entities to design, build, finance, operate and maintain infrastructure such as highways, bridges and transit systems.
“It is an honor to be asked to serve on the board, which faces the challenging task of augmenting existing transportation funding by enlisting the help of the private sector,” Benninghoff said. “The issue of paying for our transportation needs is one I’ve already spent a great time dealing with as we attempt to solve Pennsylvania’s mass transit funding problem.”
Benninghoff serves as the House Transportation Committee’s Republican chairman.
On June 8, the state House voted to pass legislation that would allow every county, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh to use P3s to address transportation infrastructure problems.
“I’m hoping the Senate acts quickly on this vital piece of legislation that would empower local government officials with the ability to quickly find solutions to their transportation needs” Benninghoff said.