I wonder how it works in Tokyo. They have the most impressive infrastructure of any city I've ever been to, and it seems that is because they never stop. At that point, it makes sense to just salary everyone involved and not deal with the corruption that comes from outsourcing. The most popular vehicle on the road in Tokyo appears to be the concrete mixer.
I've heard that the railway companies in Tokyo own a lot of the real estate around the stations. They cross finance public transport as a means of making the buildings they own more attractive.
