Transportation industry

The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded $511 million of grants to 46 transportation projects in 33 states and Puerto Rico under a third round of its popular TIGER program.

For the second year in a row, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell plans an aggressive strategy to keep the state's transportation projects moving forward at a fast clip.

Dallas Area Rapid Transit has awarded a design-build contract for the final segment in its $1.5 billion Orange Line project that will connect Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport to the DART light-rail network, officials said.

Dana Levenson jumped at the chance to be chief financial officer of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation got the go-ahead last week from the Council of Bond Oversight for a $71 million debt issue to finance four highway projects.

With trading active on much of bankrupt American Airlines' $3.2 billion of special facilities revenue bonds, some market participants are sounding a cautionary tone in assessing their value, as bargain hunters eye the airline's discounted bonds secured by collateral.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's Board of Commissioners has approved a preliminary $7.1 billion combined operating and capital budget for fiscal 2012 amid complaints that the agency overspends on World Trade Center redevelopment at the expense of bridge, road and tunnel improvements.

The cancellation of a project to renovate the 70-year-old Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and a connecting portion of the Gowanus Expressway, both part of Interstate 278 in New York City, has prompted calls for a state law allowing public private partnerships.

Fairfield, Conn., opened its third train station, Fairfield Metro, to commuters last week.

The Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority last week hired an interim executive director who currently works for a consulting firm that has contracts with the agency.

The Inland Valley Development Agency in California disclosed that it and the San Bernardino International Airport Authority are being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Philadelphia plans a $235 million sale of revenue refunding bonds for Philadelphia International Airport on Thursday.

The privatization of the Ohio Turnpike would likely be a positive for debt holders, Moody’s Investors Service said in a market comment this week.

In response to Fitch Ratings’ revision of its outlook on O’Hare International Airport’s general airport revenue bonds to negative, Chicago aviation officials said they are confident the airport’s position as a key hub for bankrupt American Airlines will limit any service cuts as the carrier reorganizes.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Fitch Ratings on Friday revised the outlook to negative on three major U.S. airports in the wake of the Chapter 11 filing by American Airlines and its affiliate, American Eagle.

After its Board of Aldermen rejected a proposal for streetcar service, New Haven has resubmitted a plan that would replace its match with regional or state transportation funds.

SAN FRANCISCO — A Washington judge has dismissed a lawsuit that tried to void the state's $519 million bond deal for a floating bridge project.

The California Legislative Analyst's Office said in a report Tuesday that the funding for the first stage of the state's high-speed system is highly uncertain.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Santa Rosa Bay Bridge Authority's bond trustee, Bank of New York Mellon, has hired a financial advisor to assist with restructuring the Florida authority's defaulted bonds.

In a recent report affirming the Birmingham Airport Authority's A-minus rating, Fitch Ratings said that it would be evaluating the potential effects of surrounding Jefferson County's bankruptcy filing.