American Roads Overview

American Roads is a U.S.-based owner/operator of transportation infrastructure.

American Roads and its affiliates have in-house experience and capabilities in development, operations, maintenance, tolling technologies, asset management and financing of public-private infrastructure projects.

Focused on new infrastructure investment and development opportunities for bridge, tunnel and road projects across North America, American Roads currently owns and operates four toll bridges in Alabama, as well as the international tunnel connecting Detroit, MI with Windsor, ON.

American Roads’ parent company, DIF, is a leading independent fund manager focused on infrastructure investment with over US$6 billion under management and a well-established track record. Since 2005, DIF has developed or acquired 22 toll road and bridge projects covering over 2000 miles.

American Roads and DIF are committed to working with governmental and public transportation agencies to develop partnership solutions to potential infrastructure needs or improvements.

Operations and Services

American Roads offers complete tolling and transportation development services, designed to specifically meet the needs of a wide variety of clients and projects. Services include: project development and assessment; construction management; operations and maintenance; capital planning; technology services.

Toll Systems: The toll systems utilized at all American Roads facilities are proprietary. Payment methodology is flexible, and all facilities accept: cash; credit card/debit cards (swipe and tap); ETC through transponders/Radio Frequency Identification (“RFID”), LPR; and mobile pay via smartphone applications.

NEXPRESS: DWT customers can establish a NEXPRESS account that links the U.S. and Canadian NEXUS identification card to the customer’s NEXPRESS account. Members are able to link their pre-paid accounts to their NEXUS card allowing the card to act as an RFID payment card.

FREEDOMPASS: Alabama facilities utilize a fully interoperable software and hardware toll system known as FreedomPass, with which users can create online accounts allowing users to utilize unmanned tolls lanes, automatically debiting accounts.

Operating Assets

Detroit Windsor Tunnel: The Detroit Windsor Tunnel (DWT) is located in the City of Detroit at the international border crossing between the United States and Canada.

Foley Beach Express: The Foley Beach Express is an expressway located between the City of Foley and Orange Beach and Gulf Shores on Alabama’s gulf coast.

Emerald Mountain Express: The Emerald Mountain Express roadway is located in the City of Montgomery, Alabama and nearby parts of Elmore County.

Montgomery Expressway: The Montgomery Expressway is a toll bridge over the Alabama River.

Tuscaloosa Bypass: The Tuscaloosa Bypass crosses over the Black Warrior River through Tuscaloosa County, Alabama.

Opportunity

Road and bridge infrastructure needs across North America exceed the public funds available for governments and public sector entities. Much needed infrastructure upgrades may include lifecycle and refurbishment of existing structures, new construction, and/or technology and operations.

Many potential infrastructure projects may be too small to go through an intensive public-procurement process, given the time and associated expenses required of the governing agency and its advisors. Meanwhile, the projects remain important to alleviating traffic congestion, improving access, or addressing technical, operational or structural needs in support of local economies.

American Roads has created a framework that can minimize or eliminate the need for public funding while addressing the infrastructure need using a turn-key partnership solution.

Proposed Partnership

Under a proposed partnership, American Roads would utilize private funds to finance the project in exchange for a toll concession or license. The partnership would set out the requirements for American Roads to deliver and operate the project, while also prescribing the toll rates to ensure the project is fair to all stakeholders, including the travelling public.

A partnership framework will be specifically crafted for the infrastructure project which may include a range of potential solutions including new construction, lifecycle and refurbishment, operations and technology improvement.

At the end of the concession or lease term, American Roads would return the road or bridge project to the public sector partner.

This framework is generally most appropriate for projects with upfront capital expenditures of less than approximately $250 million USD which are less suited to expensive public-private-partnership procurement processes.

Benefits of Partnership

American Roads commits to using local labor, trades, construction, engineering, and design firms, and to engage with local stakeholders to maximize the benefits to the community. The company has a history of engaging with all key stakeholders on its projects in Alabama, Michigan, and Ontario.

The partnership structure allows for development of key infrastructure, addressing congestion, access or technical and structural considerations without the requirement of any public funds, and a road or bridge which will ultimately revert to the public or governmental entity with significant useful life remaining.

American Roads is interested in working on partnership opportunities to develop a structure designed specifically for the project needs that addresses the infrastructure need and is flexible on the terms of any agreements.

Neal Belitsky, CEO
NBelitsky@AmericanRoads.com
313.567.4422 (ex 204)

Mack Roberts, VP of Development & Engineering
MRoberts@AmericanRoads.com
334.512.0380 (office)
334.318.9510 (cell)