|
Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
|
Journal of Planning Education and Research, Vol. 26, No. 2,
137-151 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/0739456X06291390
Implications of Private-Public Partnerships on the Development of Urban Public Transit Infrastructure
The Case of Vancouver, Canada
Matti Siemiatycki
department of urban studies, University of Glasgow
Recently, design-build-operate-transfer-style private-public partnerships have gained popularity both with left-wing and with right-wing governments as a means of effectively delivering large-scale transportation infrastructure projects. Proponents suggest that introducing competition and market forces into the procurement of public infrastructure can make decision making more accountable, contribute to greater technological innovation, and reduce the potential for construction-cost escalations that consistently have plagued transportation projects. However, this article shows that in the case of a new rapid-rail development in Vancouver, Canada, the private-public-partnership method of project delivery has been largely incongruent with increased accountability while failing to drive technological innovation or limit cost escalations during the planning process.
Key Words: public transit • infrastructure • megaproject • private-public partnership
References
- Altshuler, A., and D. Luberoff. 2003. Mega-projects: The changing politics of urban public investments. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution.
- Blumenberg, E. 2002. Planning for the transportation needs of welfare participants: Institutional challenges to collaborative planning. Planning Education and Research 22(2): 152-163.[CrossRef]
- Boddy, T. 2003. Politicos see a RAV line paved with votes. The Vancouver Sun, August 9, F14-F14.
- Boei, W. 2005. Final RAV deal up by $180 million: Winning bidder, two new partners will cover the increase. The Vancouver Sun, August 3, B1-B1.
- Bowman, L. 2002. Outside the farebox. Project Finance 231: 42-45.
- Bula, F. 2004. Secret plan to explain federal RAV funds. The Vancouver Sun, October 4, A1-A1.
- Campbell, G. 2004. Speech to the B.C. Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association. December 2, Vancouver. Retrieved from http://www.bcliberals.com/premier’s_speeches/b.c._road_builders_and_heavy_construction_association/.
- Canada Line Rapid Transit Inc. 2006. Canada line final project report: Competitive selection phase. Retrieved from http://www.canadaline.ca/files/uploads/docs/doc495.pdf.
- Canadian Union of Public Employees. 2004. New poll shows 74% back alternative to RAV. Retrieved from http://www.cupe.ca/www/media/10046.
- Canadian Urban Transit Association. 2003. Report on a survey of transit infrastructure needs for the period 2004-2008. Ottawa: Canadian Urban Transit Authority.
- Davis, K. 2005. Policy forum: Financing public infrastructure PPPs and infrastructure investment. The Australian Economic Review 38(4): 439-444.[CrossRef]
- Debande, O. 2002. Private financing of transport infrastructure: An assessment of the UK experience. Journal of Transport Economics and Policy 36(3): 355-387.
- Demirag, I., M. Dubnick, and M. I. Khadaroo. 2004. A framework for examining accountability and value for money in the UK’s private finance initiative. The Journal of Corporate Citizenship 15: 63-76.
- Dobell, K., and J. Bird. 2001. Report to board of directors: RAV project. Burnaby: Translink.
- Doyle, D. 2002. Letter to Pat Jacobsen. June 19. Freedom of Information Request.
- Edwards, P., J. Shaoul, A. Stafford, and L. Arblaster. 2004. Evaluating the operation of PFI in roads and hospitals. Association of Certified Chartered Accountants—research report no. 84. Retrieved from http://www.accaglobal.com/research/summaries/2270443.
- Flyvbjerg, B. 2003. The lying game. Eurobusiness (June): 60-62.
- Flyvbjerg, B., N. Bruzelius, and W. Rothengatter. 2003. Megaprojects and risk: An anatomy of ambition. New York: Cambridge University Press.
- Greenwood, J. 2005. Court to decide if RAV is being done right: B.C.’s $1.7B rapid transit plan faces legal challenge. National Post, June 18, FP7-FP7.
- Hall, P. 1982. Great planning disasters. Berkeley: University of California Press.
- Hilferink, S. 2004. Societal cost benefit analysis: A bridge to more efficient infrastructure decision-making? Master’s thesis, Utrecht University.
- HM Treasury. 2003. PFI: Meeting the investment challenge. Retrieved from http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/648B2/PFI_604.pdf.
- Innes, J. E., and D. E. Booher. 2004. Reframing public participation strategies for the 21st century. Planning Theory and Practice 5(4): 419-436.
- Irish Department of Finance. 2003. Assessment, approval, public sector benchmark and procurement of PPP. Presentation to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transportation, September 23. Retrieved from http://www.ppp.gov.ie/.
- Knight, M., M. Rich, R. Green, S. Giles, and C. Amyot. 2003. Civil infrastructure systems: Technology road map. Canadian Council of Professional Engineers. Retrieved from http://www.ccpe.ca/e/files/TRMReporteng.pdf.
- Ladner, P. 2004. Numbers tell the tale in RAV line controversy: An article by NPA Councillor Peter Ladner. Retrieved from http://www.npavancouver.ca/20040713-numbers-tell-the-tale-in-rav-l/.
- Li, J., and M. Wachs. 2004. The effects of federal transit subsidy policy on investment decisions: The case of San Francisco’s Geary Corridor. Transportation 31(1): 43-67.[CrossRef]
- Mackett, R. L., and M. Edwards. 1998. The impact of new urban public transport systems: Will the expectations be met? Transportation Research-A 32: 231-245.
- Macquarie Group. 2001. PPP review of RAV rapid transit project. Vancouver: Macquarie Group.
- Malone, N. 2005. The evolution of private financing of government infrastructure in Australia—2005 and beyond. The Australian Economic Review 38(4): 420-430.[CrossRef]
- McQuaid, R. W. 2000. The theory of partnership: Why have partnerships? In Public-private partnerships: Theory and practice in international perspective, edited by S. P. Osborne, 9-36. New York: Routledge.
- Miraftab, F. 2004. Private-public partnerships: The Trojan horse of neoliberal development. Journal of Planning Education and Research 24(1): 89-101.[Abstract]
- Olds, K. 2001. Globalization and urban change. New York: Oxford University Press.
- Palmer, V. 2003. Feds blow whistle on the RAV line. The Vancouver Sun, June 19, A3-A3.
- Palmer, V.. 2005. Private-sector portion of RAV risk isn’t so private, after all. The Vancouver Sun, August 10, A3-A3.
- Perl, A. D. 1993. Comparative transport finance: The institutional logic of infrastructure development in Canada, France, and the United States. Doctoral thesis, University of Toronto.
- Pickrell, D. 1992. A desire named streetcar: Fantasy and fact in rail transit planning. Journal of the American Planning Association 58(2): 158-176.
- Private-Public Partnership Unit. 2003. Presentation to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, September 23. Ireland Department of Finance. Retrieved from http://www.ppp.gov.ie/keydocs/pressreleases/.
- RAVCO. 2003a. Project definition report. Vancouver: RAVCO.
- RAVCO. 2003b. Project delivery model. Retrieved from http://www.ravprapidtransit.com.
- RAVCO. 2004a. Minutes of a meeting of the board of directors of RAV Project Management Ltd. (RAVCO), held February 6, 2004. Retrieved December 18, 2005, from http://www.ravprapidtransit.com/files/uploads/docs/doc210.pdf.
- RAVCO. 2004b. Report of the evaluation committee. Vancouver: RAVCO.
- RAVCO. 2005. Frequently asked questions. Retrieved from http://www.ravprapidtransit.com/en/faq.php.
- Richmond, J. 2005. Transport of delight. Akron: University of Akron Press.
- Rock, C., and S. Plewes. 2002. Major capital projects: Candidates for federal funding. February 12 report to the board of directors. Retrieved from http://www.translink.bc.ca/files/board_files/meet_agenda_min/2002/02_21_02/0202021_3.2_Major_capital_report.pdf.
- Savas, S. 2000. Privatization and public-private partnerships. New York: Seven Bridges.
- Siemiatycki, M. 2005a. The making of a mega project in the neoliberal city: The case of mass rapid transit in Vancouver Canada. City 9(1): 67-83.
- Siemiatycki, M.. 2005b. Beyond moving people: Excavating the motivations for investing in urban public transit infrastructure in Bilbao Spain. European Planning Studies 13(1): 45-64.[CrossRef]
- Smith, C. 2005. RAVCO digs downtown. The Georgia Straight, February 3-10, p. 11-11.
- Taylor, B. D. 2000. When finance leads planning: Urban planning, highway planning, and metropolitan freeways in California. Journal of Planning Education and Research 20(2): 196-214.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Throgmorton, J. 1991. Planning as a rhetorical activity. Journal of the American Planning Association 59(3): 334-346.
- United States Department of Transportation. 2004. Performance specifications strategic roadmap: A vision for the future. Retrieved from http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/construction/pssr0403.htm.
- United States Department of Transportation. 2005. PPP options. Retrieved from http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ppp/options.htm.
- van den Hemel, M. 2004. The bids are in. Richmond Review, January 29. Retrieved from http://www.yourlibrary.ca/community/RichmondReview/Archive/RR20040129/morenews.html.
- Wachs, M. 1986. Techniques vs. advocacy in rapid rail transit: A study of rapid rail transit. Urban Resources 4(1): 23-30.
- Wachs, M.. 1988. When planners lie with numbers: An exploration of data, analysis and planning ethics. Los Angeles: University of California.
- Walker, C., and A. J. Smith. 1995. Privatized infrastructure. London: Thomas Telford.
 CiteULike  Connotea  Del.icio.us  Digg  Reddit  Technorati What's this?
|
