Transportation industry

SAN FRANCISCO — The Los Angeles Department of Airports plans to sell $898 million of revenue bonds next week to finance the rebuilding of the Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport.

The House yesterday unanimously approved a bill that would provide a three-month extension of aviation programs, including airports’ ability to collect fees they use to back bonds. The bill also includes provisions that would change how some surface transportation funds are distributed.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority in central Florida expects to be in the market today with retail pricing of up to $375 million of revenue bonds.

DALLAS — As a young agency with a senior debt rating at the lowest rung of investment grade, the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority needed an innovative approach to finance its latest project known as the 183A Toll Road Extension.

CHICAGO — The Indiana General Assembly last weekend wrapped up its session with some major highlights, authorizing the privatization of two of the state's largest infrastructure projects and moving to preserve recent property tax caps by making them part of the state constitution.

A tax bill amendment that was introduced last week by Sens. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., and Byron L. Dorgan, D-N.D., would establish a pilot program for six airports to collect potentially unlimited passenger facilities charges.

DALLAS — Houston’s Metropolitan Transit Authority said it plans to issue $2.6 billion of bonds to finance five new light-rail lines, even though voters only authorized a quarter of that amount.

WASHINGTON — A high-level Department of Transportation official told lawmakers yesterday that the Obama administration will support “ambitious local initiatives” for large-scale projects, such as a 12-line transit project in Los Angeles.

Congressional foot-dragging on federal transportation policy reverberated again at the state level this week, as the Missouri Department of Transportation decided not to put projects out for bids, making March the second consecutive month the state canceled bids due to federal funding uncertainty.

DALLAS — After years of battling opposition to a $1.8 billion toll road proposal on the Trinity River near downtown, ­Dallas is facing another financial challenge to the star-crossed project.

CHICAGO — Indiana would be allowed to privatize two of the state’s largest proposed infrastructure projects under a measure on its way to Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels’ desk.

Detroit could break ground on the first phase of a long-planned light-rail project along one of its main thoroughfares by the end of the year, Mayor Dave Bing said last week.

Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson last week ordered an immediate halt to all new state road maintenance projects as part of his plan to avoid a $106 million revenue shortfall in fiscal 2010.

Allegheny County officials are working on a $2 billion initiative to expand public transportation between downtown Pittsburgh and its Oakland neighborhood — the city’s academic and cultural hub — and to boost mass transit within Oakland itself.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Two members of Florida’s congressional delegation Friday said more federal funding is on the way for high-speed rail for the state and other areas of the country.

The South Jersey Transportation Authority wasted thousands of dollars due to mismanagement and lack of oversight, according to an audit released last week by the state’s office of inspector general.

New Jersey Transit last week announced plans to raise rail and bus fares 25% to generate $140 million of new revenue and help plug a $300 million gap.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida will need full funding to build a high-speed rail network from Tampa to Orlando, and eventually on to Miami, Nazih Haddad, chief operating officer for the state’s new Florida Rail Enterprise program, said yesterday.

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration will unveil its principles for a new multi-year transportation bill within the next 90 days, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told reporters yesterday at a conference here sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation plans to refinance by mid-April up to $2.27 billion of debt that helped fund Boston’s Central Artery Project, known as the Big Dig.