Here’s the news release from Metro: 

Two proposals for Sepulveda Pass, one on West Santa Ana Rail project

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) today announced that it has received three more unsolicited proposals for Measure M mega projects – two for the Sepulveda Pass project and another for the West Santa Ana Branch Light Rail project. This brings to eight the number of unsolicited proposals for projects included in Measure M – Metro’s November ballot measure.

One Sepulveda Pass proposal was submitted by Sepulveda Corridor Development Partners, a consortium led by HDR and including Plenary Group, Star America, Canadian Imperial Bank, Mott McDonald, PointC and Millbank Tweed. A second Sepulveda proposal came from Parsons.

Kiewit-AECOM submitted a proposal for the West Santa Ana Rail project. 

While the contents of the proposals are confidential at this time, the approaches utilize an innovative public-private partnership (P3) to deliver the projects sooner than anticipated, while potentially providing an opportunity for Metro to accelerate other projects of regional significance simultaneously. The proposals will now move through phase one of Metro’s unsolicited proposal review process to determine if the proposals have technical and financial merit.

“Obviously the private sector is taking us seriously in answering our call for innovation,” said Metro CEO Phillip A. Washington. “We are encouraged to see how teams are forming with potential ways to help us get projects done sooner through big ideas and innovative solutions.”

Metro has been paving the way to consider different ways of delivering projects – the impetus behind the agency’s first major industry forum, Transformation Through Transportation, in February 2016.  That’s when Metro officials invited the private sector to bring the agency their ideas for helping Metro deliver projects sooner than they are scheduled.

Earlier this month, Metro announced it was in receipt of five other unsolicited proposals:

Parker Infrastructure Partners proposal that provides a unique approach to fund and accelerate selected Measure M mega projects in different stages of progress

ACS proposal to accelerate the West Santa Ana Branch Light Rail Project through a public-private partnership (P3)

Skanska proposal to accelerate the West Santa Ana Branch Rail Project through a P3

Skanska proposal to accelerate Phase 3 of the Purple Line Extension to UCLA and the Veterans Administration campus

Goldman Sachs proposal to provide a regional network approach to develop Metro’s High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes

“I’m happy to say these proposals are keeping our office plenty busy,” said Joshua Schank, Metro’s Chief Innovation Officer leading the agency’s Office of Extraordinary Innovation. “The private sector sees an excellent opportunity to be our partner in continuing to transform transportation across LA County.”

In Measure M, Metro sees other projects that are potential P3 candidates including the Crenshaw Northern Extension to West Hollywood, the High Desert Multi-Purpose Corridor in the North County, the I-5 Widening Project, and the 710 South Corridor.

All of these proposals are dependent on Metro having an additional funding stream to leverage private dollars, either through Measure M or some future funding that is identified.

Metro is implementing a “shovel ready” plan to bring key transportation projects to a shovel ready state in the event that previously unforeseen funding becomes available. Also, Metro recently named Ernst & Young Infrastructure Advisors, LLC, a recognized authority in the U.S. public-private partnership infrastructure market, to help Metro select the best delivery methods for advancing its major transportation projects in L.A. County. 

To learn more about Metro’s Measure M ballot measure, you can visit http://theplan.metro.net.