Infrastructure

The Internal Revenue Service has closed its audit of Rhode Island's $197 million tobacco settlement bonds, ruling that the bonds remained tax-exempt.

Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley has named a bipartisan group of 11 people to a new local and regional transportation funding task force.

The National Conference of State Legislatures is urging Congress to take action on several issues, including transporation funding, tax-exempt financing of water infrastructure, the federal deficit and online sales taxes.

Ill. Gov. Pat Quinn last week formed an independent task force to review and recommend management and oversight reforms for the Chicago region's public transit system that could affect the future of the Regional Transportation Authority of Illinois.

California was not the only target of a transit union's efforts to exempt transportation employees from state pension reform efforts. Wisconsin, Minnesota, New Jersey and Massachusetts have complied.

Michigan lawmakers are taking a fresh look at a long-stalled plan to raise $1.2 billion in new money for the state's transportation infrastructure.

The Santa Rosa Bay Bridge Authority, which has been in default on toll revenue bonds since July 2011, has agreed to have a traffic study done.

The federal government's attempt to block bankrupt American Airlines' merger with US Airways Group Inc. could have a "marginally positive" impact on U.S. airports, Fitch Ratings said in a report.

South Carolina's Charleston County Airport District plans to sell $175 million of bonds for improvements at Charleston International Airport.

Hunts Point Terminal Produce Market received a $10 million federal TIGER grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation for freight rail improvements.