- Court Ruling Allows CTRMA to Proceed with TX 45SW Construction
- IL Tollway Releases Tentative Budget Plan
- Il Tollway Aims to Increase Minority Jobs by Teaching Construction Skills
- People on the Move: NTTA Board and VA Transportation Commission Have New Members
- Bridgegate (The Main Event): Defense Argues that Christie Staffers Knew, but Asked Few Questions
- Bridgegate (The Sideshow): Governor Christie to Appear in Court Next Month in Response to Criminal Summons
- HOT Lanes Coming to Hampton Roads in 2017
- VDOT Apologizes for Skipping Public Comment on Allowing Trucks on I-66 Toll Lanes
- VDOT Will Rate the "Scaled-Down" US 460 Project
- Tampa Planners Gearing Up for Regional Growth Look for New Express Lanes
- SCDOT Extends Hurricane-Related Suspension of the Cross Island Parkway Toll
- GDOT Training Accustoms First Responders to I-75 Reverse Toll Lanes
- Ohio Turnpike to Host Open Houses at Maintenance Buildings
- NTTA Delays Renaming TX 360 the "Texas Ranger Tollway"
- Fitch Affirms Rating of ITR Concession Company
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Court Ruling Allows CTRMA to Proceed with TX 45SW Construction
Austin American-Statesman reports, “A federal judge in Austin has denied an injunction in the Texas 45 Southwest case, allowing construction to begin on the tollway. The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority will build and operate the 3.6-mile, four-lane road connecting FM 1626 to South MoPac Boulevard (Loop 1).” The ruling does not terminate an underlying lawsuit filed by a group that is challenging the project’s environmental approval. However, as the newspaper notes, arguments on the injunction motion “concentrated on the underlying law, becoming in effect a mini-trial before [Judge Lee] Yeakel. . . .” The coalition had no immediate comment.
Click here to read CTRMA’s news release.
Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) Issues of Law Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)IL Tollway Releases Tentative Budget Plan
Chicago Sun-Times reports, “Illinois truckers next year will face their third toll increase since 2014 and drivers will see seven new ramps with tolling points on the Jane Addams tollway under a tentative Illinois Tollway budget unveiled Wednesday [October 19]. Toll revenues and toll evasion recovery income is expected to increase by 6 percent next year, to $1.37 billion, as the Illinois Tollway kicks off the sixth year of a 15-year capital construction program.”
Click here to see a tollway news release and a deck on the tentative budget presentation.
Illinois State Toll Highway Authority (IL Tollway)Il Tollway Aims to Increase Minority Jobs by Teaching Construction Skills
Daily Herald reports, “With 10 years remaining in its $12 billion road-building program, the Illinois tollway intends to start training workers to help finish the job. The aim is to increase the number of minorities working on tollway projects through a center teaching construction-related skills, officials said at a meeting Wednesday [October 19].”
Illinois State Toll Highway Authority (IL Tollway)People on the Move: NTTA Board and VA Transportation Commission Have New Members
North Dallas Gazette reports, “Carl O. Sherman is joining the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) Board of Directors as a Dallas County appointee. Sherman was appointed to a two-year term by the Dallas County Commissioners Court . . . . Sherman succeeds Matrice Ellis-Kirk, who served on the board since Dec. 2011.”
InsideNoVa.com profiles Mary Hynes, a recent gubernatorial appointee to Virginia’s Commonwealth Transportation Board.
Bestpass announced two communications staff promotions: Nick Crounse to Communications Manager, and Nicole Ouellette to Marketing and Communications Specialist.
Capital Gazette reports that the Maryland Transportation Authority has promoted Richard Jaramillo to administrator of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Jaramillo formerly served as deputy administrator of the William Preston Lane, Jr., Memorial Bridge.
Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) Texas Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)Bridgegate (The Main Event): Defense Argues that Christie Staffers Knew, but Asked Few Questions
NJ.com reports, “The defense in the Bridgegate trial argued Wednesday [October 19] that high-level officials inside the Christie administration did not question the 2013 politically motivated lane closures at the George Washington Bridge even as the scandal unfolded and public pressure escalated. At the same time, one of those charged in the scheme, former Port Authority of New York and New Jersey executive Bill Baroni, told jurors he was left alone to explain what he said he believed to be a legitimate traffic study.“
New Jersey Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ)Bridgegate (The Sideshow): Governor Christie to Appear in Court Next Month in Response to Criminal Summons
New York Post reports, “NJ Gov. Chris Christie agreed to appear in Bergen County court next month after receiving a criminal summons for his alleged role in the George Washington Bridge lane closures. A document filed in the state court case shows Christie’s lawyer agreed that the Gov. will make his first appearance in the case, alleging official misconduct, at 1 pm on Nov. 23 — the day before Thanksgiving.”
New Jersey Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ)HOT Lanes Coming to Hampton Roads in 2017
Daily Press (Newport News) reports, “Hampton Roads will get its first high-occupancy toll (HOT) express lanes in Norfolk next year — a voluntary tolling system that will likely be added to the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel when it’s widened, Transportation Secretary Aubrey Layne said Wednesday [October 19]. In an effort to reduce congestion, eight miles of reversible HOV lanes along I-64 in Norfolk, from the I-564 interchange to the I-264 interchange, will be converted to HOT lanes, the Commonwealth Transportation Board decided Wednesday.”
Virginia Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)VDOT Apologizes for Skipping Public Comment on Allowing Trucks on I-66 Toll Lanes
WTOP News reports, “Virginia’s Department of Transportation apologized to local leaders [on October 19] for not letting the public comment on a hot topic — whether to let big rigs use toll lanes to be built outside the Capital Beltway on Interstate 66. ‘There was a decision made to consider multi-axle vehicles using the express lanes that did not go through a public process and we, basically, apologize to our Fairfax partners as well as our Prince William partners for that,’ said VDOT Deputy District Administrator Renée N. Hamilton.” The report adds, “A ruling on big-rig access is expected within the next couple weeks, Hamilton said. But even an approval to consider it won’t be final.”
Virginia Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Washington (DC) Metro RegionVDOT Will Rate the "Scaled-Down" US 460 Project
Richmond Times-Dispatch reports, “The Virginia Department of Transportation will rate a scaled-down version of the proposed overhaul of U.S. 460 from Suffolk to just west of Zuni, despite the fact that no local governments or regional organizations appear willing to champion the project.” The Commonwealth Transportation Board voted unanimously on October 19 to submit the project to the Smart Scale rating process. The report adds that VDOT officials this week estimated the project will cost between $300 million and $400 million.
Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)Tampa Planners Gearing Up for Regional Growth Look for New Express Lanes
Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports that the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA) is planning for the area’s expected growth and pushing several transportation initiatives including tolled express lanes. According to the newspaper, “As the Florida Department of Transportation proceeds with expansion plans for interstates, TBARTA wants toll express lanes” with AET and variable rates.
Express Lanes FloridaSCDOT Extends Hurricane-Related Suspension of the Cross Island Parkway Toll
The Island Packet reports, “Drivers on Hilton Head Island will continue to cruise along the Cross Island Parkway toll-free for about another month. Officials with the S.C. Department of Transportation have decided to extended a suspension of the toll that was put in place during the recent Hurricane Matthew evacuation, SCDOT spokesman Pete Poore said [on October 18].” The extension’s purpose is to facilitate island recovery efforts.
South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT)GDOT Training Accustoms First Responders to I-75 Reverse Toll Lanes
Clayton News Daily reports, “Henry and Clayton County first responders attended training events this week on the operation of emergency access gates along the new reverse toll lanes currently under construction on Interstate 75. [Link added.] The Georgia Department of Transportation expects the new lanes to improve the daily commute traffic in the area, but the lanes present unique challenges to police, fire and emergency teams tasked with accident response within the system. . . .” Georgia’s Traffic Incident Management Enhancement (TIME) task force participated in the training.
Georgia Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT)Ohio Turnpike to Host Open Houses at Maintenance Buildings
Cleveland.com reports, “Winter is fast approaching, and the Ohio Turnpike is getting ready to send out its forces to keep the roads passable. But before that, the turnpike is letting the public in to see the heavy roadway equipment and to talk to those who help keep the roads safe. The Ohio Turnpike will hold open houses 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22 at its eight maintenance buildings.”
Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure CommissionNTTA Delays Renaming TX 360 the "Texas Ranger Tollway"
Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports, “A decision about whether to rename a new stretch of Texas 360 — and call it Texas Ranger Tollway — will be postponed until after the Nov. 8 referendum in which Arlington voters decide whether to help pay for a new $1 billion ballpark. ‘They’re going to work on it some more,’ said Michael Rey, spokesman for the North Texas Tollway Authority, which is considering the new name.”
North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) TexasFitch Affirms Rating of ITR Concession Company
Fitch Ratings “has affirmed ITR [Indiana Toll Road] Concession Company LLC at ‘BBB’ with a Stable Rating Outlook. The rating applies to $2.8 billion of debt outstanding, including $1.05 billion of series A-C notes, a $776 million term loan facility, $700 million in private placement notes and a $329 million capex facility.”
Indiana Indiana Toll Road Concession Company (ITRCC) Investment Ratings