Economy

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Kentucky Legislature Monday begins a special session called by Gov. Steve Beshear after legislators failed to pass a transportation budget last week.

The New York Energy Highway Task Force, appointed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to implement the energy highway initiative, issued a request for information on April 11.

The country's largest mass transit system will go to market with $600 million of transportation revenue bonds on Tuesday, with retail pricing on Monday.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Transportation has approved a $422 million TIFIA loan for construction of a new midtown tunnel and rehabilitation of existing tunnels in Norfolk and Portsmouth, Va.

Pennsylvania's Senate will consider legislation enabling public-private partnerships for bridges and roads when it reconvenes April 30.

WASHINGTON — A recently released Fitch Ratings report projects a sharp increase in the use of "managed" or HOT lanes on highways, but warns that such toll lanes will be more volatile than traditional toll roads because they are located next to non-toll roads.

After years of stops and starts on a $5.3 billion elevated rail system first conceived 45 years ago, the 20-mile Honolulu transit project appears to be rolling along.

The Alaska Senate passed a a $2.6 billion capital budget Wednesday that includes $450 million of bonds.

CHICAGO — The Michigan Finance Authority is bringing $153.4 million of revenue bonds to market next week on behalf of the Oakwood Obligated Group, a four-hospital system located in the Detroit area.

BRADENTON, Fla. — As Atlanta plans to open its new $1.4 billion international terminal next month, the city is moving forward with other projects at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Moody's Investors Service has downgraded Northwest Community Hospital in suburban Chicago one notch to A2 following fiscal 2011 results that fell short of budgeted projections.

Chicago-based Mercy Health System formally joined Michigan-based Trinity Health last week.

Two of Texas' most congested cities — Houston and Austin — are moving forward with managed toll lane projects after identifying sources of funding from the Texas Department of Transportation.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is selling $224 million of bonds to finance its payments to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, which finances a variety of highway, bridge and transit capital projects.

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has launched a probe of the California High Speed Rail Authority, asking its board members to preserve all records related to the nearly $4 billion in federal funds approved that, along with a proposed $2.7 billion bond issue, would finance the bullet train along the California coast.

Despite legislative setbacks and an ongoing battle with a powerful Detroit family, the leaders of Michigan and Canada continue to tout as a top priority a new $4 billion bridge to span the nation's busiest trade route between Detroit and Canada.

The Illinois Finance Authority board advanced up to $875 million worth of borrowing for health care and higher education organizations, including Ascension Health Alliance's sale of up to $600 million of new-money and refunding debt and $150 million from Loyola University of Chicago.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is expected to pay $60.3 million to BNP Paribas Capital Services Inc. on Monday after settling on a credit swap the bank previously announced it would terminate.

A $300 million bond issue designed to keep tolls down on the controversial Dulles Toll Road may be in jeopardy as the Virginia General Assembly votes on a proposed budget that does not include the authorization for the debt.

Alaska Railroad Corp.'s $135 million of bonds backed by federal transportation funds have been endangered by recent legislation. That risk prompted Moody's Investors Service to downgrade the debt on Thursday to A2 from A1.