Transportation industry

New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority is looking to sell more than $1 billion of tax-exempt debt next month, including a $250 million remarketing of variable-rate debt as fixed rate.

DALLAS — Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport will issue the first $301 million of revenue bonds this week toward a $2 billion renovation of the original terminals that opened 36 years ago.

The Internal Revenue Service is kicking off the first round of audits of Build America Bonds and is asking issuers if any potentially related entities, such as pension plans, are buying their BABs, according to issuers and IRS officials.

SAN FRANCISCO — California’s Bay Area Toll Authority will sell $800 million of taxable and tax-exempt debt this week to help fund massive modernization projects that include replacement of the eastern span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.

New York State should contribute 20% of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s capital program, a policy think tank and an advocacy group said in a report last week.

Maine will spend $20.1 million to buy 233 miles of rail lines to retain freight-rail service in the state’s northeast sector.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will continue to mull over the fate of the nation’s largest mass-transit project instead of announcing a decision this week as expected on a $8.7 billion commuter-rail tunnel between New Jersey and Manhattan.

WASHINGTON — The federal government opened its wallet to ports this week, giving them a larger-than-ever share of a $585 million competitive grant program.

CHICAGO — Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard said he would revise key terms of a proposal to lease city parking meters to a private company for 50 years amid rising criticism from members of the Indianapolis and Marion County City-County Council.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Thursday moved forward with a freight-rail expansion program while offering little information on the future of a new passenger-rail tunnel that would run between New Jersey and Manhattan.

WASHINGTON — The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority on Wednesday approved two underwriting syndicates for a total of up to $485 million of refunding bonds to be issued in two series next month.

WASHINGTON — The Department of Transportation Wednesday formally announced the 75 state and local projects that will receive a total of $585 million for construction and planning, with Atlanta, Fort Worth, Tex., and Seattle receiving the three largest grants.

Harrisburg could gain $60 million by the end of the year as the Harrisburg Parking Authority in December plans to restructure all of its $105 million of outstanding debt and pass new-money proceeds to the city.

CHICAGO — The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission will take competitive bids Wednesday on a $140 million refunding of top-rated senior-lien state road bonds in hopes of achieving about 6% to 7% in present-value savings.

WASHINGTON — The Department of Transportation is expected Wednesday to announce $600 million of grants for transit, rail, bridges, and other state and local surface projects, including at least $390 million for 28 projects in 21 states, according to members of Congress and local officials.

Pittsburgh will not receive $451.6 million in a 50-year parking-lease agreement with a private operator, as its City Council Tuesday rejected the plan.

SAN FRANCISCO — State and local transportation agencies have penciled in the winning bid to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the Presidio Parkway Project, California’s first public-private partnership.

The New Jersey Turnpike Authority board this month is expected to vote to eliminate employee bonuses and payouts, toll-free work commutes, and other practices that have cost the agency $43 million in nearly four years.

DALLAS — The battle lines are being drawn in Austin over the capital city’s request for $90 million of general obligation bonds for transportation as opponents ramp up efforts to defeat the proposition on Nov. 2.

Moody’s Investors Service downgraded to Baa1 its underlying rating on Bishop International Airport.