L.A. Metro's Innovation Chief on the Appeal of P3s

Los Angeles Metro created the Office of Extraordinary Innovation in 2015, which CEO Phil Washington tasked with exploring "out-of-the-box and untried ideas." A year later, KPCC speaks to Chief Innovation Officer Joshua Schank on how the department approaches that mandate with the rest of the agency.

Starting with the basics, Schank clarifies that the "basic function" of the office is "to bring the private sector to the table on major infrastructure projects."

Public-private partnerships have gained popularity in recent years as a way for governments to deliver infrastructure and services more efficiently and with less financial risk. Schank also believes the model encourages the private sector to be more civic-minded.

He says, "It's not enough to have [transportation] technology out there and being developed. We have to find a way to integrate it with the public sector network."