Economy

Heavy-load road traffic associated with natural gas drilling in northwest Arkansas is causing highway damage that will cost much more to repair than the state highway department is receiving from the severance tax on gas.

WASHINGTON — State and local groups are bringing their concerns to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s upcoming TIGER II grants — $600 million to be distributed to highways, bridges, transit, freight and passenger rail, and ports — with ports requesting at least one-quarter of the money.

WASHINGTON — The Maryland Department of Transportation on Wednesday expects to competitively sell $140 million of bonds, including what could be MDOT’s first Build America Bonds.

MIAMI — With a clear need to invest in infrastructure and a large budget deficit, Puerto Rico is poised to launch its first public-private partnership projects.

Moody’s Investors Service affirmed its Ba2 rating for outstanding revenue debt issued for Citrus Valley Health Partners, including $52.6 million of Series 1998 fixed-rate certificates of participation and $25 million of Series 1998 auction-rate COPs.

Citigroup has priced a $165 million private placement deal for the Bahamas' Nassau Airport, a sell-side source said.

DALLAS — Corpus Christi International Airport is in danger of losing its investment-grade rating amid declining enplanements, Standard & Poor’s warned yesterday.

The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority will ask the Louisiana State Bond Commission to approve a $75 million offering to help finance a $165 million expansion of the city’s streetcar system.

Atlanta’s mass transit provider MARTA last week announced fare increases as well as reductions in staff and service in conjunction with the presentation of a fiscal 2011 budget.

The Internal Revenue Service closed an audit of $61.3 million of revenue bonds issued in 2005 by the Coastal Bend Health Facilities Development Corp. of Corpus Christi, Tex., and has determined the debt can remain tax-exempt.

Moody’s Investors Service last week placed Marietta Area Health Care’s Ba1 rating on negative watch, affecting $38.5 million of outstanding debt. Marietta has an additional $33 million of letter-of-credit-backed debt not rated by Moody’s. Analysts expect to issue a full review of the credit within the next 30 days.

The Michigan Supreme Court Friday handed state transportation officials a victory when it upheld a ruling requiring Manuel Moroun, the owner of the Ambassador Bridge, to rebuild the ramps and approaches leading to the span. The ruling could pave the way for forcing Maroun to conform to designs by the Michigan Department of Transportation.

WASHINGTON — A critique of two proposed hospital projects in Montgomery County, Md., echoes warnings that the enactment of health care reform will make it more challenging for nonprofit health providers to finance projects through the municipal bond market.

DALLAS — Arkansas will refund three series of highway bonds with this week’s negotiated sale of $256.97 million of five-year general obligation bonds that will lower debt-service costs in fiscal 2011 by an anticipated $11 million.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Florida last week received $66.6 million out of $80 million in federal grants distributed by the U.S. Department of Transportation for high-speed rail development.

Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson traveled across the state last week for ceremonial signings of a long-term, $8.2 billion transportation program. The effort will be financed with proceeds from an estimated $1.7 billion in revenue bonds, a portion of a 1% sales tax increase, and higher fees for heavy trucks.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Wednesday celebrated the completion of a $737 million project to renovate the Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport.

WASHINGTON — Virginia is reviewing its public-private partnership program to ensure the state can most efficiently leverage private funds as its transportation revenues have dwindled amid the economic recession.

WASHINGTON — The House was poised late Thursday to consider an amendment to the tax-extenders package that would slightly alter the distribution of nearly $1 billion to states for transportation projects.

CHICAGO — Nonprofit health care providers grappling with what to do about interest rate swaps that for years saved them money but now have become costly burdens face a “stark choice” that can depend on their fiscal position and appetite for risk.