Infrastructure

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton last week announced the creation of an advisory task force charged with coming up with ideas to raise revenue for road, highway and bridge projects.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Santa Rosa Bay Bridge Authority meets Wednesday to continue working toward a resolution on its $115.9 million of defaulted bonds, which were sold to build a toll bridge in north Florida.

CHICAGO — The trustee on $113 million of bonds that financed construction of the privately owned Branson, Mo., Airport opted not to nearly drain remaining reserves to make a Jan. 1 debt-service payment as airport operators struggle to bolster operations and stave off future bondholder enforcement actions.

WASHINGTON — Despite the financial struggles and criticism faced by prominent fast-rail projects in California and Florida, high-speed and regional rail is likely to proceed out of necessity, according to an analysis by Fitch Ratings.

Republican lawmakers in California have introduced a bill that would block the state from selling bonds for a planned high-speed rail system.

With the Jan. 31 expiration date of the latest Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization law coming up fast, hopes for a long-awaited multi-year bill are giving way to pessimism as airport lobbyists fear that deep partisan divides and a limited number of congressional work days may wind up producing another short-term measure or FAA shutdown.

WASHINGTON — Increased reliance on public-private partnerships to fund construction of roads, rail, water, sewers, public buildings and other projects could save Maryland millions of dollars annually and create thousands of jobs, according to a state legislative commission report.

A recently abandoned plan to build a light-rail line in Detroit won new life last week when the federal government agreed to give local officials 90 days to refine a less costly plan.

With one of its two hub airlines in bankruptcy, Chicago officials breathed a bit easier last month when Moody’s Investors Service affirmed its ratings on Chicago O’Hare International Airport’s $5.6 billion of general airport revenue debt.

Dire warnings about the future of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission based on a $450 million-per-year infrastructure payment requirement are overstated, according to a research report.