ACEC California Releases Paper Examining State's Need for Increased Public-Private...

ACEC California Releases Paper Examining State's Need for Increased Public-Private Partnerships

SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(Business Wire)--
The American Council of Engineering Companies of California (ACEC
California) has released a white paper examining the use of
public-private partnerships (PPPs or P3s) in delivering new
infrastructure projects and upgrading California's aging existing
infrastructure.

"Public-Private Partnerships: Creating Tomorrow's Infrastructure"
provides an overview of California's current infrastructure crisis and
explores how other countries such as India, Mexico, Australia and the
United Kingdom are embracing PPPs as an effective method for renewing,
creating or maintaining roads, rail systems, bridges, dams, levees,
wastewater systems and other infrastructure vital to their continued
economic development. One key finding of the paper is that common to
all these countries is a commitment to provide broad authority to the
government agencies and the public sector to engage in public-private
partnerships.

"It's clear to us that California's economic future relies on our
state's ability to create a climate favorable to investment in new
infrastructure and the upkeep of existing infrastructure," said ACEC
California President Bill Green. "If the state fails to do this, it
can potentially jeopardize the safety of the California's citizens and
almost certainly have a negative impact on the state's economy."

For example, the new white paper revealed that Australia has
already estimated it is experiencing $6 billion a year in lost
production as a result of a lack of public spending on infrastructure
over the last 60 years.

"Given California's gross domestic product is roughly three times
that of Australia, and given the similar shortfall in spending here in
the last few decades, it wouldn't surprise us if California is losing
$15 billion or more a year in production as a direct result of its
clearly inadequate infrastructure," Green added.

Green pointed to recent studies suggesting that Doyle Drive, a
main artery linking downtown San Francisco to the Golden Gate Bridge
and Marin County, carries a far weaker structural sufficiency rating
than the I-35 Mississippi River bridge in Minneapolis which collapsed
in Aug. 2007. It has been projected that serious structural failure
along Doyle Drive would create serious problems for commuters that
would have traffic repercussions far outside the city and would also
hurt the city's tourist sector.

"For years we've heard the tired and slanted arguments from public
sector lobbyists that public private partnerships don't work because
they cost too much. The reality is that properly structured and
overseen PPPs have been proven more often than not to deliver major
infrastructure projects on time, under budget and to very high
standards," Green explained.

"Public-Private Partnerships: Creating Tomorrow's Infrastructure,"
is available in the "Research Center" section under the "Education"
tab of the ACEC California's Web site at www.acec-ca.org, along with
other PPP-related materials.

About ACEC California

ACEC California, formerly known as CELSOC, is a statewide
association representing more than 1,100 private consulting
engineering and land-surveying firms that average 20 employees each.
ACEC California is dedicated to enhancing the consulting engineering
and land surveying professions, protecting the general public and
promoting the use of the private sector in the growth and development
of our state. Our members provide services for all phases of planning,
designing and constructing projects. For more information, visit
www.acec-ca.org.

ACEC California
Brian Heaton, 916-441-7991
bheaton@acec-ca.org

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