Infrastructure

An Oregon delegation led by Treasurer Ted Wheeler met with White House officials last week to discuss a new exchange for regional infrastructure projects.

The federal government will need to make difficult and politically divisive choices to maintain highway funding in coming years, transportation experts told members of the House Budget Committee Wednesday.

A team of El Paso, Texas, officials and advisors spent last week traveling to New York and Washington, D.C., to trumpet their planned nearly half a billion dollar bond-financed overhaul of the city's downtown area, which they see as a major game-changer for their region.

A report from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials details the funding plans of 30 states, including some creative options.

President Obama's fiscal year 2014 budget again proposed a 28% cap on tax expenditures including municipal bond interest for the top 2% of income earners, despite efforts by muni market participants lobbying against the proposal.

Janet Cowell, the state treasurer of triple-A rated North Carolina, said the state may need to issue bonds or raise new revenue to pay for infrastructure needs.

Nashville will sell $227.9 million of revenue bonds for water and sewer projects Wednesday, then returns to the market April 16 to sell $337.8 million of general obligation bonds.

A new study released by the Federal Railroad Administration lays out numerous diverse options for high-speed rail investment in the nation's heavily-populated Northeast corridor.

The Virginia General Assembly on Wednesday approved Gov. Bob McDonnell's amended transportation plan, which slashes gas taxes and is projected to pump billions into Virginia's transportation infrastructure over the next five years.

Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., has introduced legislation that would make $1 billion available for federal transportation grants.

The Virginia Port Authority's decision not to pursue a public-private partnership could have a negative impact on other potential port privatization deals, according to a new report from Fitch Ratings.

General aviation airport officials in Florida and across the country will discuss the implications of tower closings Tuesday in a conference call with the Federal Aviation Administration

Charles "Chip" Barclay announced Wednesday that he will retire as chief executive officer of the American Association of Airport Executives on Dec. 1.

Moody's said that $2.7 billion of bonds issued by the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia could be downgraded if costs and delays on the Vogtle nuclear plant escalate beyond those known so far.

The Virginia attorney general's office has issued an opinion that a sweeping new transportation law passed by the legislature last month violates the state constitution.

A U.S. Senate panel gave its stamp of approval this week to legislation that would create a federal loan and loan guarantee program for water infrastructure that could augment bond financing and public private partnerships.

The American Society of Civil Engineers has given America's infrastructure an overall grade point average of D+ across sixteen categories — up slightly from the D in its last report in 2009 and the first improvement since the group started its report card in 1998.

The New York Thruway Authority says it is in the process of obtaining a $1.5 billion TIFIA loan, but U.S. DOT guidelines indicate the loan would be at least $200 million less.

Congress will have a chance in coming weeks to consider two pieces of legislation aimed at increasing investment in water infrastructure, including bonds and public-private partnerships.