A strong political advocate can be the best harbinger for the success of a public-private partnership. PPPs in general, and the Capital Beltway project in particular, have numerous supporters, including David Ekern, VDOT Commissioner; Mary Peters, the former FHWA Administrator and current U.S. Secretary of Transportation; Pierce Homer, Virginia Transportation Secretary; current and former Governors and members of the General Assembly. These individuals have made public remarks in favor of such partnerships and the potential for HOT lanes to deliver additional highway capacity.
James Atwell, former chief financial officer with VDOT, acknowledged the growing interest in public private partnerships as more of a necessity than just another business opportunity. "Everybody's grappling to find money to meet needs. In the 1980s there was public will and political will to raise taxes; it has not occurred in the last 20 years, and that has turned people in the direction of public-private partnerships, tolls, and more esoteric solutions to meet transportation infrastructure needs."38
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerry Connolly has expressed his support for the project, "Finding new ways to improve the quality of life for Northern Virginia residents is an absolute necessity in an area growing as quickly as we are. There is no single solution to the congestion problem, but incorporating a project like this can be a powerful tool in our efforts to address Northern Virginia congestion."39
Additionally, the 1997 Public-Private Transportation Act (PPTA) passed the General Assembly with bipartisan support. The original legislation had 22 Senate and 14 House sponsors. The legislation passed the House 98-1 with the Senate concurring 40-0.40 The 2005 bill clarified the original legislation and again received favorable review. Megan Fletcher with Transurban stated, "We have established a strong relationship with the state. From a U.S. perspective, public-private partnerships are really just starting to emerge. Virginia was in the forefront of recognizing the part it can play." 41
Despite the initial support for PPPs, there are more projects in the planning stage than are in operation or construction. The political support in Virginia demonstrates the value PPPs have in addressing transportation needs, but as Governor Kaine noted in his May 2006 testimony before the US House of Representatives, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, "The ink needs to dry so that perspective can be gained on these public-private transactions."42