UPDATE Volume 1, Number 3 Articles - Spring Quarter 1997

PRIVATE/PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS: WHAT ARE THEY? By Gary DeCramer

The term partnership is popping up all over, especially in instances where there is a sensed need to address a public problem. The problem can usually be characterized by a perception that there is a scarcity of resources and/or a need for a more open decision-making process. Most partnerships tend to form between public entities. However, the call for private/public partnerships is increasing. Observations indicate that the partners come together to produce a joint product, and each contributes resources. The degree to which power is shared indicates to what extent each partner has a voice in establishing the agenda for the overall effort. What is not clear is what is meant by the term "private/public partnerships" or "public/private partnerships."

For a partnership to function effectively, the conditions for each entity differs. The private partner needs to have an assurance that there is an opportunity for making profit. The public entity is responsible for looking out for the common good. Beyond these conditions, there remains a variety of unresolved concerns. At the intersection of those concerns there are ambiguities, tensions, and uncharted relationships. As a part of a broader research effort for the Federal Highway Administration on congestion relief tolling, the State and Local Policy Program at the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs is studying the political and institutional issues which arise in public/private partnerships formed for the purpose of establishing road tolling facilities. To gather data for the study, the researchers are asking people experienced in toll facility partnership efforts questions which should provide answers to bring greater clarity to the search for the meaning of the term "private/public partnerships." This research project concludes in December of 1997.

We do know that there is an emerging awareness that "partnering" is an organizational strategy which responds to an increased awareness of interdependency. Likewise, there is a greater sense of uncertainty in public affairs which gives rise to efforts to cooperate and collaborate. Positional leaders have come to an awareness that the resources which lie within their influence are not enough to respond to the evident demands. The nature of public problems today requires a broadening of relationships. The awareness that public resources are limited has led to an awakening that private resources may fill the identified gaps. There also seems to be a growing political acceptance of these associations, perhaps because the effort is perceived as an adventure in democratic process. The definition of private/public partnerships is still unclear; however, as more of these partnerships form, we are likely to grow in understanding of what the term means.

Information for this UPDATE article was taken from Elizabeth Hubbard's Plan B paper prepared at the Humphrey Institute in 1995. Minnesota Statutes, Section 174.02 Subdivision 6 facilitates partnerships. Examples of Mn/DOT on going partnership projects are:

• The Advanced Rural Transportation Information and Coordination (ARTIC) Project began in northeastern Minnesota last fall to create a single communications center operating as a dispatch and information site for the entire region. The partnership objective is to improve response times to roadway emergencies and incidents, provide real-time vehicle status and schedule information to transit customers, and eliminate dispatching gaps between Mn/DOT, the State Patrol, and individual transit providers.

• The Orion Project in the Twin Cities metro area seeks to reduce travel time, improve emergency response time, increase safety, and decrease congestion and delays. Major features include a new 911 computer-aided dispatch to manage emergency calls generated from cellular phones and an automated traveler information system to deliver timely and accurate traffic and transit information.

• The Mayday Plus Project will communicate accident severity and vehicle location to Rochester emergency services via ITS technology implementations. The two-year operational test includes partners from Mn/DOT, the State Patrol, Mayo Clinic Trauma Center, Gold Cross Mayo Medical Transportation, and thirteen transportation industry partners.

• Road And Weather Information System (R/WIS) will provide Mn/DOT operations crews and travelers with up-to-the-minute information on changing conditions. A three-phase deployment is under way that will ultimately create a grid of sensors integrated into a complete statewide system.

• Nova includes a “Quick-Start” process to initiate new projects that will be followed by a locally oriented planning processes for ITS. The Quick-Start process project submittals were being reviewed in late March, these bring new partnership opportunities for the State of Minnesota.

Author: Gary DeCramer, Senior Fellow, Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs and the Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota. Gary is a co-principal investigator on a FHWA Congestion Pricing Study at the Humphrey Institute, and recently completed a study of Minnesota's area transportation partnerships for Mn/DOT. He is the former chair of the Minnesota Senate's Transportation Committee and operated a private business in Southwest Minnesota.

ITS Minnesota News Briefs:

Sixty people attended the special luncheon at the Radisson on April 2. Commissioner Denn introduced Congressman Martin Sabo who updated the participants on the status of National Transportation funding initiatives. Mr. Denn also presented Representative Sabo with a plaque recognizing his efforts in support of Intelligent Transportation Systems.

About one hundred eighty people attended the ITS Forum on March 12^th at the Sheraton Metrodome. As noted in the April CTS REPORT, this event co-sponsored by ITS Minnesota and Minnesota Guidestar was a success. Thanks to those who took time to fill out the evaluation sheets, their results are: