Economy

Standard & Poor's has put the ratings of two double-A level not-for-profit health systems in Illinois, Advocate and NorthShore, on Credit Watch with positive credit implications following their announcement to join forces.

Fitch Ratings has upgraded more than $720 million of debt issued for the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit System.

Americans strongly support tolling existing interstates if collections are dedicated to highway upgrades, according to a new poll.

Proposed legislation in the House would cut Amtrak's funding by 40% and redirect passenger-line profits to Northeast capital projects.

The Louisiana Transportation Funding Task Force plans to ask candidates for governor about their positions on new ways to fund roads and bridges.

Coalition of shippers and operators of infrastructure assets wants long-term funding for freight projects in the next federal transportation bill.

Members of Congress broke the news early on allocations of federal TIGER grants ahead of the official announcement of awards totaling $600 million from the program.

Low interest rates on federal and bank loans for the $2.3 billion Interstate 4 Ultimate project in central Florida saved the state nearly $70 million from estimates, officials said.

Another two petitions have been filed asking the California Supreme Court to review a recent decision to allow the High Speed Rail Authority to issue bonds for the rail project.

Oklahoma transportation officials aim to clear a backlog of highway and bridge projects under a $6.3 billion funding plan through 2022.

State Farm agreed to a three-year sponsorship deal with Pennsylvania in the first agreement under the P3 law Gov. Tom Corbett signed in 2012.

Guaranteed availability payments are becoming more attractive to private investors in infrastructure P3s than volatile toll or fare revenues.

The Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Airports Commission heads into the market Wednesday with a $275 million subordinate general airport revenue refunding with no near-term new-money borrowing in sight.

Pennsylvania opting in to Medicaid expansion is a credit positive for hospitals in the state, according to Wells Fargo Securities.

Robert Thompson of New York City Transit and Joan Nyron of the Pratt Center for Community Development will discuss bus rapid transit at the New York Transit Museum on Sept. 10.

A recent announcement that Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle will end one of its contracts in 2016 poses certain credit risks, but has no immediate impact on its ratings, according to Standard & Poor's.

San Antonio voters will get to decide the future of light rail next May in a charter election approved by the City Council.

Denver's highly-regarded National Jewish Health system has lost its Standard & Poor's investment-grade rating, falling to BB-plus from BBB-minus.

The consortium fronted by Sweden's Skanska that is building the $2.3 billion Interstate 4 project in central Florida says it has reached financial close on the concession and loans.

New federal banking regulations will further constrain already struggling infrastructure finance, transportation advocates warned.