Economy

North Carolina scheduled meetings in communities along Interstate 95 to discuss the I-95 Economic Assessment, and the next steps toward doing $4.4 billion in improvements including possible tolls.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced Friday that recent federal legislation will allow the FAA to prevent the closure of 149 federal contract air traffic control towers though fiscal 2013.

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley announced that more than 250 new road and bridge projects will move forward thanks to a $25 million bond program for rural counties.

Creating a municipal road and bridge revolving fund is crucial to improving Rhode Island's roads and bridges, Treasurer Gina Raimondo told a House panel in Providence.

Louisiana will refund $303 million of gasoline and fuels tax revenue bonds this week to avoid $110 million of swap fees on the variable-rate debt.

Managed toll lanes carry greater credit risks than traditional toll roads because they are challenging to implement and subject to extreme traffic volatility, according to a new report from Moody's Investors Service.

Moody's Investors Service has upgraded HealthPartners Inc.'s rating one level to A2 in recognition of its improved operating performance.

Standard & Poor's has raised its rating by one notch on Riverside Health System to A-plus due to its leading market position and improved balance sheet.

Chicago City Council member Brendan Reilly said this week he has consulted with public finance experts in an exploration of how the city could finance a buy back of the parking meter system from private operators.

Maine's sales of hundreds of millions of dollars of bonds have been delayed while the Republican governor and Democrat-controlled legislature debate how to raise $484 million owed to the state's hospitals.

University of Texas regents approved $334.5 million of university revenue bonds to fund a medical school in Austin.

With some saying that the Puerto Rico Highways and Transportation Authority is teetering, muni market participants are wondering about its financial health.

Moody's Investors Service lowered Ascension Health Alliance's rating one level to Aa2 ahead of the nation's largest not-for-profit healthcare system's upcoming sale of $980 billion of refunding bonds.

The Puerto Rico Highways and Transportation Authority may default as soon as next week, El Nuevo Dia newspaper reports a Puerto Rico government official as saying.

Hawaii State legislators killed a bill that would have reduced the state's take of a surcharge designated to pay the costs of a $5.2 billion elevated rail now under construction in Honolulu, according to the Honolulu Star Advertiser.

The Los Angeles City Council approved a $4.76 billion Los Angeles International Airport plan to move the northernmost runway closer to homes in Westchester and Playa del Rey.

Wednesday marked the deadline for companies interested in developing a pair of major rail projects under Maryland's new public-private partnership law, and the private sector is jumping at the chance.

New York's MTA named veteran transit manager Joseph Leader senior vice president for its department of subways, succeeding the promoted Carmen Bianco.

The Louisiana Senate has sent a bill to the House authorizing $252 million of off-the-book lease revenue bonds for the community college system.

Louisiana will avoid $110 million in swap termination penalties with a $303.1 million refunding on May 16 approved by the State Bond Commission.