County hears Build-Operate pitch for faster bridge repairs; HWC to assess bridge inventory

Consultants representing HWT and HWC presented a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOP/BOT) approach to accelerate bridge and DOT projects and described an upcoming countywide bridge inventory and assessment under a recently approved selection contract.

Tim H., director of business development for HWT, told the joint session that the BOP approach can shorten project delivery from years to months for some projects and allow county officials to avoid the lengthy federal INDOT project timeline. "The B process is very sweet and unique ... you can be done in less than a year on some of your project depending on the size and the complexity," he said.

Chris Ham, vice president for economic development at HWC, described funding options and procurement advantages under the model, including bundling similar bridge work to gain pricing efficiencies and using guaranteed-maximum pricing to limit change-order exposure. He summarized common local funding sources — bridge funds, motor fuel revenues, local street money, bonds and grants — and said the model can let counties “get more out of your money today” by using present-day prices rather than escalating costs over multiple years.

Presenters said stage one of the engagement is an in-person inventory and inspection of each county bridge, followed by grouping work types and creating packages that would be offered to developers/contractors in subsequent stages. The firms noted advantages including scheduling efficiencies, potential inclusion of local vendors, and clearer maximum-price commitments.

Commissioners had approved HWC as the countywide bridge factor of record at an earlier meeting; presenters said the firm’s upcoming contract (starting in February) will fund the initial inventory and task list. Council members acknowledged the potential speed and cost benefits and asked staff to review the assessment and return with specific options.

Why it matters: Several county bridges were identified as nearing replacement or in need of maintenance. County officials face long state and federal timelines for DOT projects; presenters argued the BOP/BOT approach could speed delivery and provide budget certainty for bundled work.

What’s next: County staff will coordinate with HWC to scope the inventory and return to the board with a recommended package and timeline for decisions about staged procurement and funding.