Infrastructure

WASHINGTON — Virginia Gov. Robert McDonnell touted his $4 billion transportation spending plan ­Wednesday during a state of the commonwealth speech in which the Republican reaffirmed his intention to privatize state liquor stores and proposed a state employee contribution plan to ­reduce the retirement pension ­liability.

CHICAGO — Fitch Ratings on Wednesday lowered its rating on O’Hare International Airport’s upcoming $1.1 billion issue of passenger facility charge bonds by two notches due to the airport’s increased leverage as Chicago seeks to fund remaining projects under an $8 billion expansion without airline support.

Democrats aim to scale back scheduled toll increases on the New Jersey Turnpike after Gov. Chris Christie terminated a Hudson River commuter-rail tunnel they were meant to help finance.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Santa Rosa Bay Bridge Authority in the Florida Panhandle made its January debt-service payment, but its July payment is in doubt and most board members overseeing the credit have now resigned.

DALLAS — Denver’s Regional Transportation District is considering asking voters for a 0.4% sales tax increase this year or next to complete the $6.7 billion FasTracks project currently under construction.

The U.S. House of Representatives voted last week on a rule change that could affect the state’s plan to issue $1.1 billion of grant anticipation vehicle revenue bonds. The provision could allow lawmakers to divert transportation funds to other spending projects.

CHICAGO — Using a structure that bypasses airline approval, Chicago will enter the market early next month with a long-planned sale of $1.1 billion of debt for O’Hare International Airport.

DALLAS — Arkansas House Speaker Robert Moore opened the 86th General Assembly by asking lawmakers Monday to adequately fund a proposed road plan that could involve more than $2 billion of bonds.

New Jersey now has until Jan. 18 to repay $271 million to the Federal Transit Administration for a canceled commuter-rail tunnel. The previous deadline was Monday.

The new speaker of the Arkansas House said last week that lawmakers should find some way to fund needed improvements to the state’s highway system without taking the issue to voters.