Opinion: Harvey, Georgia show need, model for infrastructure funding

In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, the stress on our nation’s infrastructure is now more pronounced than ever as images of collapsed roads and bridges in Texas and Louisiana make it impossible for many residents to get on with their lives.

Prior to this hurricane season, the American Society of Civil Engineers released its 2017 infrastructure report card which gave our nation a D+ for the quality of our country’s infrastructure.

The World Economic Forum ranks the United States’ infrastructure 12th behind Japan, Germany, France and the Netherlands. I travel the globe every month and often see how we have much we need to do to catch up.

President Trump is expected to push forth an infrastructure plan in the next few months. And to expedite construction, Trump is wisely suggesting a concept we have embraced here in Georgia to speed up the design, build and completion of much-needed highway projects at the state Department of Transportation.

The concept is known as P3 or public-private partnership, and we in Georgia are using it to fast track a host of highway projects to provide rapid congestion relief.

In his initial outline for promoting infrastructure investments, Trump said too many state and local governments have relied on federal monies to complete projects – something which has caused tremendous delays in everything from resurfacing roads to building water treatment plants.

Trump is expected to propose $200 billion in federal funds over 10 years for highly critical infrastructure investments. But to fund the balance of the nation’s infrastructure needs, he wants state and local governments to embrace the P3 concept – something the Georgia DOT is now doing with immense vigor.

With private companies bidding and then engineering, designing, building and operating these projects, companies can generate funds for projects that metro Atlanta commuters have needed for decades. For example, the 30-mile, $840 million express lane project along I-75 in Cobb County and I-575 in Cherokee County will open next summer due to a GDOT partnership with the private sector.

Thanks to the leadership of Gov. Nathan Deal and GDOT Commissioner Russell McMurry, the interchange at I-285 and Georgia 400 will be completed in 2020 with a P3, quickly rebuilding that interchange at a total cost of about $808 million. That partnership is also saving the state hundreds of millions of dollars.

Georgia has a host of other important congestion mitigation projections on the drawing board for the metro Atlanta that will involve private-sector participation.

For example:

• The Revive 285 project to create two new express lanes in each direction on I-285 from I-75 to I-85. At an estimated cost of $4.2 billion, the design and right-of-way is in process and construction could kick off in 2023 or sooner.

• Two additional express lanes on Georgia 400 from I-285 to McGinnis Ferry Road and one express lane in each direction from McGinnis Ferry Road to McFarland Road. The express lane project to McFarland Road is expected to cost about $1.8 billion and construction can begin in four years or less.

• Reconstruction of the I-285 interchange at I-20 east at a cost of $475 million. This project is in the design and engineering phase and construction can start in about four years.

• Reconstruction of the interchange on the opposite side of I-285 at I-20 west. This project is also in the engineering phase. At a total cost of $790 million, construction will begin in about five years.

• Add an express lane on I-285 between I-20 and I-75 on the west side of the Perimeter. The entire project will cost $655 million. Construction would likely begin in about six years on this plan.

• Add an express lane on I-285 between I-20 and I-85 on the east side of the Perimeter. The total project will cost $580 million. Construction is targeted to begin in about five years on that project.