Southwest

A lawmaker from one of Texas' most heavily tolled counties has introduced legislation that would end tolls when bonds are paid off.

Buoyed by a strong fourth-quarter finish, 2014 municipal bond issuance in the Southwest region was 15% higher than 2013 at $64.7 billion, according to Thomson Reuters data.

Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport remains vulnerable to service reductions after the merger of its major carrier US Airways and American Airlines, according to Standard & Poor's. Otherwise, the outlook on the airport’s AA-minus rating is stable.

A privately operated federal detention center in Raymondville, Texas, financed by $78 million of bonds suffered severe damage as inmates began rioting Feb. 20 and will be vacated, officials said.

The Colorado Department of Transportation is moving ahead with plans to seek private investment in the redevelopment of a 12-mile stretch of Interstate 70 that would be the largest project in CDOT's history.

Sponsors of a privately funded $10 billion high-speed rail project between Houston and Dallas opt for route with fewest landowner issues.

Forty-four state and local governments have failed to meet the deadline for their audits in fiscal year 2014, earning them a place on State Auditor Tim Keller's "At Risk" list.

Buoyed by a strong fourth-quarter finish, 2014 municipal bond issuance in the Southwest region was 15% higher than 2013 at $64.7 billion, according to Thomson Reuters data.

Two Austin lawmakers are pushing bills that would allow increases in auto registration fees to finance road construction in Travis County.

State lawmakers in Arkansas and Washington state give initial approval to measures that would increase local transportation funding.