Infrastructure

DALLAS - The Harris County Metropolitan Transit Authority, better known as Metro, will have to seek other funding sources for its expanding Houston-area rail system after learning that federal stimulus funds will not be available.

WASHINGTON - The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority will bring $400 million of bonds to market in the next two weeks after postponing deals last fall due to the turmoil in the marketplace in the aftermath of the collapse of Lehman Brothers.

The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority today may opt to postpone toll increases that are set to begin Friday and instead use reserve funds to help meet operating costs for the remainder of fiscal 2009, which ends June 30.

The Hawaii Superferry ceased services this week after an adverse reading from the state Supreme Court.

CHICAGO — A controversial plan to build a new bridge spanning the busy trade route between Detroit and Canada advanced this week when the Michigan Strategic Fund approved a resolution allowing the issuance of nearly $800 million of private-activity bonds to finance the project.

The Massachusetts House yesterday passed a bill to extend the state’s general obligation pledge to five Massachusetts Turnpike Authority swaps and removed an amendment that would have banned independent state authorities from entering into swap agreements.

DALLAS — The Louisiana State Bond Commission yesterday approved the sale of up to $685 million of gasoline tax bonds as the state tries to negotiate lower swap-termination fees before the bonds go to market.

The House yesterday approved a six-month extension of Federal Aviation Administration funding under suspension of the rules, which would keep the airport construction grants program and other programs funded through Sept. 30.

Transportation advocates told budget writers in the House yesterday that private capital is available and should be harnessed.

The Chicago Transit Authority board late last week approved the appointments of Richard Rodriguez as its new president and Karen Walker as its new treasurer and chief financial officer.