News: Infrastructure Week 2015 Is May 11-15
Infrastructure Week 2015 is just around the corner. Led by the Brookings Institution, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and leading industry organizations, Infrastructure Week is a series of events and discussions that will take place across the country and highlight the connection between rebuilding American infrastructure and investing in our economy. Events in Washington, D.C., Illinois, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, South Carolina and elsewhere will focus on “innovative solutions, technologies, policies and investments that will bring America’s aging infrastructure into the 21st century.”
It’s no surprise that public-private partnerships will be a key topic of these discussions. In fact, according to Husch Blackwell’s industry survey, 86 percent of respondents indicated that metropolitan communities would need to undertake more than one P3 project within the next three years to stay competitive. Respondents also indicated that the greatest inhibitor to metropolitan area P3s is the need for a greater understanding of this catalyst styled tool. We invite you to review our latest survey and we look forward to the events, focused discussions and momentum for revitalization during Infrastructure Week 2015.
Case Study: Wichita State Innovation Campus Lifts Off
Regardless of the pace of various state-enabling legislation efforts in other industry sectors, the world of higher education is embracing the progress afforded under the P3 model. A key concept driving university growth can be found in the number of innovation campus plans across the United States. None may be more exciting than the recent partnership between Wichita State University and Airbus. The multitenant project will include Airbus, the National Institute of Aviation Research, the Wichita State experiential engineering building, and a number of other industry participants with plans to expand with the market.
Legislative Update: P3 Expanding in the Midwest?
The number of states adopting or considering P3 legislation continues to escalate. Two of the latest jurisdictions are Kansas (House Bill 2407) and Missouri (House Bill 206). These Heartland neighbors have contemplated a number of P3-related developments over the last several years, from highway improvements to water infrastructure projects. And, as the need grows, P3 legislation is leading the drive for consensus-driven solutions. It remains to be seen, however, if either state will end up passing P3 legislation this session. Our P3 team continues to monitor and advise on these efforts.