Infrastructure

Officials last week cut the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s fiscal 2010 budget by $160 million to balance the spending plan.

Imagine Downtown Inc., an affiliate of the Atlanta Development Authority and Central Atlanta Progress, announced Tuesday that it had closed on the first New Market Tax Credits loan for Aerotropolis Atlanta, a project adjacent to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport that will include a regional job and retail complex.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., has introduced legislation to establish a National Infrastructure Development Bank that could issue "public benefit bonds" exempt from state and local taxes to finance infrastructure projects over the next 15 years.

New Jersey will offer in the next few weeks nearly $1 billion of refunding and new-money debt backed by the state.

DALLAS - Legislation to transform the way Texas allocates funding for highway projects was caught in a backlog of bills yesterday as the state Legislature neared the end of its 2009 session.

CHICAGO - With a long-sought, nearly $29 billion capital budget headed to his desk, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn on Friday said he won't endorse the package before work is also completed on ethics reforms and an operating budget that includes an income tax increase to help close a record $12 billion deficit.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison has introduced a bill that would prohibit states, private parties and others from adding tolls on existing toll-free federal highways, bridges and tunnels built with federal funding.

BRADENTON, Fla. - The North Carolina Turnpike Authority received its first ratings as it plans the upcoming issuance of $636 million of debt for its first toll road project - the 18.8-mile Triangle Expressway around Raleigh.

A panel of experts created by the 2009 Arkansas General Assembly to study ways of financing upgrades and improvements to the state’s road network met last week at the capitol for its first meeting.

BRADENTON, Fla. - For the second time in a month, Moody's Investors Service Friday placed one of Florida's highly rated credits on watch for possible downgrade.