Transportation industry

TRENTON , N.J. — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie announced a plan Thursday to borrow $4.4 billion of bonds during the next five years to help finance road, bridge and mass-transit projects throughout the state.

WASHINGTON — House members voted 240 to 191 Wednesday to adopt Republican-approved rules for the 112th Congress that transportation and business groups claim will hurt funding for programs and possibly curb the ability of states to finance projects with bonds.

DALLAS — Travis County, Texas, commissioners said Tuesday they want to reduce a proposed road and parks bond package from $550 million to $200 million before asking voters to approve it.

Atlanta is calling on area volunteers to help maintain the city’s $2.8 billion BeltLine redevelopment project, which is to be partly funded through the issuance of bonds.

The Wayne County Airport Authority, which runs the Detroit Metropolitan Airport, said it achieved $51.7 million in net present-value savings in a recent refunding.

The Illinois Department of Transportation late last month signed an agreement with Amtrak and the Union Pacific Railroad that paves the way for using $1.1 billion in federal funds for necessary improvements to high-speed passenger rail service between Chicago and St. Louis.

SAN FRANCISCO — A Superior Court judge has lifted a temporary restraining order that blocked a public-private partnership set to rebuild the southern link to the Golden Gate Bridge.

The North Texas Tollway Authority’s debt service will increase by 22.3% to $204.5 million under the fiscal 2011 budget adopted in late December. Estimated 2011 total bond debt-service coverage is 1.85 times for first tier debt and 1.44 times coverage overall.

Fitch Ratings last week affirmed its underlying A-plus rating on $99.5 million of Albuquerque’s outstanding senior-lien airport revenue bonds and the underlying A-rating on $38.5 million of outstanding subordinate-lien revenue bonds. Both ratings on the Sunport facility have stable outlooks.

The Colorado Department of Transportation will set aside $21 million for mass transit under its Faster program, or Funding Advancement for Surface Transportation and Economic Recovery, officials said.

The E-470 Public Highway Authority that operates a 47-mile toll road east of Denver announced a series of promotions in top management last week.

WASHINGTON — The incoming chairman of the House Transportation Committee opposes the Republican leadership's proposal for a change in House rules that could hurt the funding of transportation programs.

OAKLAND, Calif. — A Superior Court judge here promised an answer by Monday morning as to whether he will keep in place the temporary restraining order blocking execution of a public-private partnership to rebuild a key access road to the Golden Gate Bridge.

Pittsburgh's City Council late last week was expected to override a veto by Mayor Luke Ravenstahl of a bill that would raise fees on city-owned parking garages to fund pension costs.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey last week recommended raising the roadbed of the Bayonne Bridge by 64 feet to provide more clearance for ships.

A Wayne County Circuit Court judge will rule in January on the latest legal wrangle that is part of a larger, years-long dispute over dueling plans for a new bridge serving the busy trade route between Detroit and Canada.

The Harris County Metropolitan Transit Authority last week reached a settlement with CAF USA Inc., over two disputed contracts for the construction of light-rail cars for its North and Southeast Corridor lines.

Two churches in Mission have filed suit in Johnson County District Court in Olathe seeking to overturn Mission's new transportation utility fee.

WASHINGTON — Improving economic conditions are likely to put new stresses on the nation’s roads, airports and ports in 2011, but congressional gridlock could stymie efforts to pass already delayed funding packages for capital investments in surface transportation and the air-travel network.

SAN FRANCISCO — A Superior Court judge has granted a restraining order temporarily blocking city and state transportation officials from inking the Presidio Parkway Project deal to upgrade the main roads linking the Golden Gate Bridge with San Francisco.