The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has identified four projects for further development and validation under the organization’s Civil Works Public-Private Partnership (P3) Pilot Program.
The goal of the pilot program is to demonstrate the viability of P3 delivery methods that can streamline delivery, share risk, and provide significant lifecycle cost savings, according to USACE.
The candidates were selected out of eight proposals submitted in February. They will now be further developed and validated to determine their potential to become P3 pilot projects.
The projects selected include the Brazos Island Harbor Channel Improvement in Texas, the Los Angeles River Ecosystem Restoration in California, the Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay Coastal Storm Risk Management in Texas, and the Soo Locks in Michigan.
The $288 million Brazos Island Harbor project would deepen the port’s ship canal from 42 feet to 52 feet, along with additional construction. USACE expects to save $150 million through the P3 by the time the project is completed in 2024.
The Los Angeles River project is a $1.4 billion ecosystem restoration that will address water quality issues and add recreational features along the 11-mile waterway stretch in downtown Los Angeles. According to Construction Dive, the project will be divided into three P3 contracts — design, build, finance, operate and maintain — and the Army Corps estimates a 10-year to 20-year reduction in the schedule for each of the three contracts, as well as savings of 33 percent.
The fully-funded $3.9 billion Sabine Pass project will use design-build and design-bid-build strategies with a goal of reducing coastal storm and flood risks.
Finally, the SOO Lock construction project is estimated to cost $922.4 million and involves a design, build, finance and possibly maintain and operate strategy.
USACE said it may identify one additional project for further development and validation at a future date.
