Pennsylvania Rapid Bridge Replacement Project

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The Pennsylvania Rapid Bridge Replacement Project will replace 558 structurally deficient bridges across the commonwealth under a design-build-finance-maintain (DBFM) public-private partnership (P3) arrangement between PennDOT and Plenary Keystone Partners. The concessionaire will also be responsible for demolishing the existing bridges, maintaining traffic during construction, and then maintaining the bridges for 25 years following construction. PennDOT will retain ownership of the bridges throughout the concession period. Most of the bridges included in the program range from 40 to 75 feet in length and are located in rural regions on the state highway system. The bridges are clustered in two groups, one in northeastern Pennsylvania and the second in the southwest. The project will be completed in two phases with the first involving the replacement of 87 Early Completion Bridges (ECBs), and the second including the 471 Remaining Eligible Bridges (REBs). All work is anticipated to be complete by December 2017. PennDOT chose the P3 structure to accelerate the replacement of the bridges and facilitate efficiencies in design and the construction of bridge components. This has resulted in a 20 percent cost savings over the life of the concession period compared to PennDOT's replacing the bridges itself.

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