Four teams vie for contract to replace hundreds of Pa. bridges

 The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is poised to pick a team from the private sector that will replace hundreds of deficient state bridges.

PennDOT Secretary Barry Schoch said Monday the influx of billions of dollars a year from the state’s newly expanded transportation program stirred discussions with private industry about how to speed up bridge repairs and save taxpayers money.

Schoch says the public-private partnership is the first of its kind nationally.

Four teams of private businesses are competing for the contract to replace 558 bridges over the next several years. The winner to be picked at the end of October.

The state will maintain ownership of the bridges. The team will not only design and build the bridges, but assume responsibility for major maintenance for 25 years.