United States of America

This chapter provides a broad overview of the practices related to public-private partnerships in the USA. First, it highlights the history of public-private partnerships in that country. Then, it turns to the regulatory and institutional frameworks in place, before considering the public-private partnerships’ market in the short and long run. In terms of cases, the Minnesota Urban Partnership Agreement (UPA) was a highly complex public-private partnership that designed and implemented multiple kinds of transportation infrastructure in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region to mitigate growing urban traffic congestion. Funds came primarily from the US federal government and the state of Minnesota. Primary partners were the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and Metro Transit, which operates buses and light rail under the Metropolitan Council, a regional government authority for the Minneapolis-St. Paul region. Minnesota UPA partners also included officials from the City of Minneapolis and the counties affected by highly congested traffic corridors, citizens’ groups, and University of Minnesota experts. Government organizations predominated among the partners, but nonprofit organizations, central city and suburban businesses, and civic groups also were important. Private vendors implemented parts of some component projects under contract with the primary partners.