Transportation industry

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.

The official groundbreaking took place last week in Broward County on the Interstate 595 Express Corridor Project, a nearly $2 billion public-private partnership with I-595 Express LLC, a subsidiary created by ACS Infrastructure Development.

CHICAGO — Faced with aging infrastructure and a pledge to not raise taxes, Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard wants to use public-private partnerships to raise new revenue that could fund water and sewer upgrades and other citywide projects.

WASHINGTON — Multiple factors such as the lack of a White House proposal and a public push-back against gas-tax hikes or new mileage fees are working against the passage of a new multiyear transportation bill, market participants warned yesterday at a conference here sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

WASHINGTON — States could lose $768 million of highway funds this week and be forced to delay or cancel projects due to the failure of Congress to approve a short-term extension of federal aid to states, state officials and transportation advocates said Monday.

SAN JUAN — Puerto Rico by the end of the year may select winning bidders to operate and maintain the airport in San Juan and three different toll roads on the island.

DALLAS — With some misgivings, the North Texas Tollway Authority has agreed to add the $1.4 billion State Highway 161 toll road to its rapidly expanding system.

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Georgia Department of Transportation on Friday released its solicitation for qualified firms to do the state’s first public-private partnership, a plan called the West by Northwest Project that is designed to bring needed traffic-congestion relief to metropolitan Atlanta.

WASHINGTON — States will not receive highway payments from the federal government starting today because of the Senate’s inability to clear a temporary extension of aid to states, although payments could resume this week, according to market sources.

A project to increase public transit access between Pittsburgh and its neighborhood of Oakland is seeking expressions of interest from potential investors and partners to help develop transportation in the area via public-private partnerships.

New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced last week that it will begin cutting more than 1,000 jobs to help deal with its deteriorating fiscal situation. The agency plans to cut 15% of its administrative positions — more than 600 jobs — and up to 500 subway station agents.