Infra Insight Blog : written by Nossaman LLP Infrastructure attorneys, covers infrastructure project delivery, including Public-Private Partnerships, Operations & Management Agreements, policy, and news.

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Producing ground breaking advancements in transportation infrastructure is not without its challenges, highlighting the importance of celebrating each success. Today our client, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the organization’s Executive Director, Amadeo Saenz, are being recognized for their paradigm shifting approach to building roads.

The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) is holding their 22nd Annual Public Private Partnerships in Transportation Conference in the nation’s capital. In what is being called a sweep, TxDOT has been awarded “P3 Project of the Year” for both the North Tarrant Express and the LBJ-635 Express projects, and Amadeo Saenz has been awarded “Public Sector Entrepreneur of the Year.” Cintra’s U.S. President, Nicolas Rubio, was awarded “Private Sector Entrepreneur of the Year.”

A well-respected organization established in 1902, ARTBA is the oldest national transportation construction-related association and the first to articulate a need for a federally-built network of Interstate highways. For 21 years the organization has assembled leaders in the transportation industry at this annual conference to discuss key transportation issues, including the private financing of transportation infrastructure projects.

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The Florida Department of Transportation’s I-595 project and its public and private partners won several awards at this year’s American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) P3 conference. “It’s pretty much a Florida sweep,” declared Pamela Bailey-Campbell, ARTBA Public Private Ventures Division president, as she announced the recipients of the Project, Public Sector Entrepreneur, and Private Sector Entrepreneur of 2009.

Bailey-Campbell announced three awards at the September 25 award luncheon in Washington D.C. The I-595 project in Fort Lauderdale, Florida received the Project of the Year award. ARTBA called the project, which achieved commercial and financial close in March of this year, a seminal project in public-private partnerships because it is the first availability payment concession highway project in the United States. FDOT Secretary Stephanie C. Kopelousos accepted the award on behalf of the department.

The Public Sector Entrepreneur of the Year award went to Gerry O’Reilly, Director of Transportation Development of FDOT District Four. Secretary Kopelousos credited Mr. O’Reilly - who led the FDOT team on the I-595 project - as the primary individual responsible for the project’s success.

The Private Sector Entrepreneur of the Year award went to Juan Santamaria, Chief Operating Officer of ACS Infrastructure Development, Inc. Mr. Santamaria was the lead representative and negotiator of the I-595 concessionaire team. In accepting the award, Mr. Santamaria thanked ARTBA for being a leading voice and organization in the PPP industry.

Nossaman served as legal advisor to FDOT on the I-595. Jeffrey Parker served as financial advisor and RS&H served as technical advisor.

Photo: Courtesy of ARTBA. Pictured are Juan Santamaria, Stephanie Kopelousos, Pamela Bailey-Campbell (outgoing ARTBA PPV Division President), Brian Howells (incoming ARTBA PPV Division President), and Gerry O'Reilly.

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