Multimodal partnerships provide opportunities to combine the development, financing, and/or operation of facilities that serve more than one transportation mode, including transit, passenger rail, highway, and airports. With the passage scarcity of public funding, there has been increasing interest in multimodal development and the coordination of projects across modes. As transportation needs and connectivity requirements continue to increase in the places like the European Union, China, and South America, successful multimodal partnerships will be essential components in improving transportation efficiency, market competitiveness, service quality, responsiveness to public needs, aesthetic appeal, and financial feasibility.
Multimodal partnership projects do not have to be PPPs. Some may be PPPs involving several public and quasi-public agencies. However, the opportunities for private sector involvement in multimodal partnerships are an area of potential growth for transit-related PPPs, particularly when toll roads and airports are involved due to the ability to leverage toll and airport revenues for transportation investments.
The primary results of multimodal partnerships include the ability to combine the strengths of each partner. By involving other public transportation agencies as well as private sector partners, multimodal projects have improved access to: 9
• More diverse revenues and financial markets to fund transportation investments;
• Increased economic development opportunities;
• Increased ridership;
• Commuter time savings; and
• Efficiencies in the operation of all involved modes.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
9 Hauser, Dr. Edd, P.E., Principal Investigator. Volume III: Developing and Maintaining Partnerships for Multimodal Transportation Planning. NCHRP Web Document 22, Project 8-32(41), June 1997, p.42.