Peter Denton is a member of Nossaman's Infrastructure Practice Group. He counsels commuter and freight railroads, public transit and light rail systems, and state and local government transportation agencies on a variety of regulatory, transactional, and litigation issues. His experience includes advising clients on innovative financing, delivery, and procurement methods to develop large-scale transportation infrastructure projects, Surface Transportation Board regulatory requirements, and Federal Railroad Administration safety standards.
Prior to private practice, Mr. Denton worked as a law clerk for Georgetown University Law Center's Institute for Public Representation. Before beginning his legal career, he worked as a journalist and an in-house writer for World Resources Institute, an environmental think-tank.
Representative Work
Virginia Department of Transportation – Midtown Tunnel Project. Advised VDOT in the procurement of a public-private partnership to develop the Downtown Tunnel/Midtown Tunnel/MLK Freeway Extension project in Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia. The project, estimated to cost $2.1 billion, is comprised of a new two-lane tunnel adjacent to the existing Midtown Tunnel, improvements to the existing Midtown and Downtown Tunnels, and extension of the MLK Freeway to Interstate 264.
Michigan Department of Transportation. Represented client on its $140 million purchase of a 135-mile segment of railroad track between Kalamazoo and Dearborn, Michigan, in order to implement 110 mph high speed passenger rail service over the route, including negotiation of shared use operational issues with existing freight and passenger railroads.
Georgia Department of Transportation – PPP Program/West by Northwest Managed Lanes Project. Assisted client in developing and implementing the Department's public-private partnership program, including the $2 billion West by Northwest Managed Lanes project.
Trinity Railway Express. Represented client in its 7th Circuit appeal of a Railroad Retirement Board determination of the status of the client as covered by the Railroad Retirement and Railroad Unemployment Insurance Acts.
Utah Transit Authority. Represented client in a variety of federal regulatory matters, including obtaining FRA shared use and horn blowing waivers.
Village of Barrington, IL. Represented client in its challenge at the STB and D.C. Circuit to the merger of two major railroads.