Reformbedarf bei den Bundesfernstraßen und das Potential des PPP-Ansatzes

This article analyzes the efficiency impacts of PPP-projects in the highway sector. The economic analysis concludes that the PPP-approach should primarily be considered as an alternative procurement strategy. PPP can be suitable for the new built, extension and renewal of certain highway stretches to reduce costs, whereas the application of the PPP approach for entire networks seems to go along with cost increases. For achieving the potential cost reductions in PPPs for stretches, risks should be allocated in an efficient way between the involved parties, and tendering procedures should be competitive. Apart from that, well-elaborated contracts as well as credible and stable public institutions in charge of preparing, tendering and monitoring the projects are necessary to ensure the success of PPPs. It is also found that concession models which combine the PPP-approach with a remuneration of the concessionaire based on user payments are not an appropriate instrument to solve financial problems in the highway network; they should only be considered in exceptional cases for stretches with little traffic deviation in the case of tolling. The lack of funding in the German federal trunk road sector should rather be addressed by the implementation of a road fund which should receive earmarked user charges. A further result is that the current PPP-models in Germany (A-Model, F-Model, and Functional Construction Contract) feature some design deficits and need to be adapted in order to achieve the goal of increased cost efficiency.