- SH 130 Concession Bankruptcy Called a Setback for Texas Private Finance Model
- County Supervisors Consider United Bridge Partners SH 37 Toll Plan
- Proposed Service Road at Dover (DE) Mall Would Be Tolled
- SRTA Sets Toll Rates for Segments of I-85 HOT lanes
- AAA Study: Road Debris Crashes and Fatalities Climb
- Miami Dolphins to Accept SunPass for Parking
- OTA's Tim Gatz Sits for a Q&A on Pike Revenue, Expansion Plans
- Laid-Off NJ Workers Picket over Transportation Trust Fund Battle
- WI Lawmaker Takes on Governor Walker's Transportation Plan, I-94 Project
- CT Senate Minority Leader Hits "Mileage Tax" Pilot, Cites MA Veto
- NY City Toll Plan Would Deliver Safer Streets
- PANYNJ Update: Bayonne Bridge Construction 60% Complete
- Maine Pike (Which Is Having a Good Summer) Eyes Land Conservation Plan at New Toll Plaza
- Fitch Upgrades Ratings on Elizabeth River Crossing Debt
- Self-Driving Vehicle Advancement: A Chat with the Red Light.
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SH 130 Concession Bankruptcy Called a Setback for Texas Private Finance Model
The Bond Buyer takes a deep dive into the proposed bankruptcy reorganization of the SH 130 Concession Company, reporting that, “Despite the lack of financial risk [to the State of Texas], the failure of the concession model is a significant setback for the TxDOT’s efforts to keep pace with construction needs through private finance.” The report adds, “TxDOT will continue to own the road and must approve any new operator, according to terms of the original deal. The transition to a new owner is expected to take up to 18 months.” The article notes that although ten international banks “helped finance the project, five hold the majority of the debt: Banco Santander, Caixabank, Bankia, Banco Espirito Santo and BNP Paribas.”
P3 & Privatization TexasCounty Supervisors Consider United Bridge Partners SH 37 Toll Plan
Kenwood Press reports, “Sonoma County Supervisors listened intently to plans to address State Highway 37 congestion and rising ocean levels that are likely to submerge portions of the North Bay’s major traffic conduit.” United Bridge Partners (UBP), a private joint venture, has offered to build a tolled, two-lane causeway that would expand and raise a segment of the highway. A county transportation official told supervisors UBP’s proposal would require enabling legislation, but it will be considered along with “other possible funding solutions” because inaction is not a viable alternative.
California P3 & PrivatizationProposed Service Road at Dover (DE) Mall Would Be Tolled
Delaware State News reports that the owners of a Dover, Delaware, mall are making the case for a new service road, an improvement required for an expansion. Rich Vetter, executive director of the Dover/Kent County MPO, said the road project is “consistent” with a 2009 MPO study and “is ranked No. 9 in the MPO’s prioritization process,” but has no state funds allocated to it. Tolls are under consideration as a source of funding.
Delaware Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT)SRTA Sets Toll Rates for Segments of I-85 HOT lanes
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports, “Some rush hour drivers will soon pay more for the pleasure of using I-85’s HOT lanes. The State Road and Tollway Authority announced [on August 15] that toll rates for ‘various segments’ of the express lanes — which run 16 miles from northern Gwinnett County into DeKalb — will increase Aug. 22. The increases will only be in effect from 7-9 a.m. and 4-6 p.m. each day.”
Georgia State Road and Tollway Authority (GA) Toll Rate ChangesAAA Study: Road Debris Crashes and Fatalities Climb
CNN reports that a new study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety says road debris “played a role in more than 200,000 crashes reported to police from 2011 to 2014, killing more than 500 people and injuring another 39,000. AAA says that’s a 40% increase since 2001. . . .”
Miami Dolphins to Accept SunPass for Parking
Sun Sentinel (Ft. Lauderdale) reports, “The Miami Dolphins became the first sports team in Florida to partner with prepaid toll company SunPass to create easy access parking.” The report adds, “The SunPass transponders will be in place for all stadium events beginning with the Dolphins’ Sept. 1 preseason finale against the Tennessee Titans. It will also be available for the University of Miami’s Sept. 3 season opener against Florida A&M.” Click here to read a Dolphins press release on the partnership.
FloridaOTA's Tim Gatz Sits for a Q&A on Pike Revenue, Expansion Plans
KOCO News posts a Q&A with Tim Gatz, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, who covers “where the money OTA has collected is going, the need for the OTA and two expansion turnpikes that will affect Oklahomans’ homes.” (Editor: Watching the video is recommended over reading the transcript.)
Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA)Laid-Off NJ Workers Picket over Transportation Trust Fund Battle
The Press of Atlantic City reports, “Dozens of workers laid off from state-funded transportation projects rallied Monday morning [August 15] outside the offices of local state legislators, demanding renewal of the state’s Transportation Trust Fund.”
New JerseyWI Lawmaker Takes on Governor Walker's Transportation Plan, I-94 Project
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel publishes an op-ed by State Rep. Daniel Reimer (D-7), who contends that Governor Scott Walker’s “transportation policy reeks of bigness: big misplaced priorities, big spending, and big — very big — debt.” Reimer rips the governor over the proposed $1.1 billion I-94 expansion project specifically. (Tolling is cited in passing.)
WisconsinCT Senate Minority Leader Hits "Mileage Tax" Pilot, Cites MA Veto
WTNH News reports, “Connecticut Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano (R-North Haven) released a statement on [August 15] opposing the proposed ‘mileage tax’ program. [Link added.] In his statement, Fasano referenced Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker vetoing a similar program last week, while also saying that Connecticut’s neighboring state seems to know what it is doing.”
Connecticut RUC & VMT ProgramsNY City Toll Plan Would Deliver Safer Streets
Streetsblog NYC reports, “The primary benefits of the Move NY toll reform plan are reducing congestion and funding transit — but don’t overlook the huge potential to improve street safety.” The report looks at road pricing programs in London and Stockholm, and identifies four factors that helped to improve safety.
Streetsblog NYC has also posted an article explaining how the Move NY plan could help relieve the Brooklyn Bridge crowding problem.
New York CityPANYNJ Update: Bayonne Bridge Construction 60% Complete
NJ.com reports, “Construction on the Bayonne Bridge ‘Raise the Roadway’ project is now 60 percent complete and is on track to be finished in mid-2019, the Port Authority said.” The span will be the first PANYNJ bridge converted to AET.
AET (All-Electronic Tolling) New Jersey PANYNJMaine Pike (Which Is Having a Good Summer) Eyes Land Conservation Plan at New Toll Plaza
Seacoastonline.com reports, “The Maine Turnpike Authority is considering a plan to turn a significant portion of its land on Chases Pond Road into a conservation area, and MTA officials were in York recently seeking input on the proposal.”
Portland Press Herald reports that business is good for the turnpike this summer.
Maine Turnpike AuthorityFitch Upgrades Ratings on Elizabeth River Crossing Debt
Fitch Ratings “has upgraded the rating on Elizabeth River Crossing’s . . . $626.3 million in private activity bonds (PABs), issued by the Virginia Small Business Financing Authority, to ‘BBB’ from ‘BBB-‘. In addition, Fitch has upgraded the rating on the $441.2 million TIFIA loan to ‘BBB’ from ‘BBB-‘. The Rating Outlook for both the PABs and TIFIA loan is Stable.”
Self-Driving Vehicle Advancement: A Chat with the Red Light.
The Times of India reports, “German carmaker Audi is rolling out technology that will allow its vehicles in the United States to communicate with traffic signals, allowing for a more stress-free ride in what it says is the car industry’s first commercial use of the nascent technology.”
Self-Driving Vehicles