Transportation industry

A proposed $500 million freeway in northern Pulaski County could be funded through tolls under a plan being studied by the state and the regional planning authority.

The Illinois RTA accused American Airlines and United Airlines of avoiding $300 million in sales taxes over the last seven years by conducting some business in "sham" offices set up outside of Cook County.

The Texas Department of Transportation needs $4 billion from the current session of the state legislature to keep up with infrastructure needs in the rapidly growing state, officials said.

Chicago named members of a special advisory panel charged with protecting the public's interest in a possible lease of Midway International Airport.

The International Bridge Tunnel and Turnpike Association has announced a campaign to elevate the role of tolling in transportation funding, backed by a recent Reason Foundation study that advocates for expanded use of toll financing.

Pennsylvania has released guidelines for public-private partnerships under the state's new P3 authorization law, and announced it would accept unsolicited proposals during May and October.

New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority plans a $500 million sale of Series 2013A transportation bonds for Wednesday, after a one-day retail period.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce unveiled its 2013 policy agenda Thursday, calling for an increase in the federal gas tax at a time when some state leaders and industry experts are no longer pursuing that goal.

The Alameda Transportation Corridor Authority secured a trio of Single-A ratings ahead of plans to refund $290 million in senior revenue bonds.

The Virginia General Assembly will decide whether to grant itself more oversight over privatizing the state's port facilities, as well as several other bond-related questions.

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell has introduced his transportation plan, a major overhaul of the commonwealth's tax system that would see the state gas tax disappear in favor of higher sales taxes and other fees.

New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority will price $805 million of Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority refunding bonds, starting with Wednesday's retail period.

Los Angeles City Council will vote Wednesday on whether to ask voters to approve $3 billion in bonds for street repairs.

Kentucky and Indiana settle the 2009 federal lawsuit by two nonprofit groups that could have derailed the $2.6 billion Ohio River Bridges Project. A second federal complaint is still pending.

Long-term pressures continue to plague bonds backed by the federal highway trust fund, but investors can offset their risk by investing in debt also secured by other revenue, according to a Wells Fargo analysis released Monday.

Georgia is moving forward with the nearly $1 billion Northwest Corridor Project after changing direction on how to proceed with the project to relieve gridlock in the Atlanta region.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich's proposal to issue $1.5 billion of bonds against future toll revenue from the Ohio Turnpike won't hurt bondholders of existing turnpike debt, though the new bonds may not be as highly rated as the current AA debt, Fitch Ratings said in a report Friday.

Bank of New York Mellon accelerated about $116 million of toll revenue bonds due to ongoing defaults by Florida's Santa Rosa Bay Bridge Authority. The trustee said payment on the bonds is due immediately.

Growing traffic between the United States and its international neighbors is leading to a need for more border road crossings, but a new HNTB white paper stresses the need for careful and conservative revenue studies for near-border toll points.

The South Carolina Alliance to Fix Our Roads has begun to lobby for an increase in the state's motor fuel tax to fund more than $50 billion in needed transportation improvements.