Daily News Briefs, February 20, 2020

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Italian Lawmakers Advance Bill Making Tollway Concession Revocation Easier

Bloomberg reports, the lower house of Italy’s parliament voted by 315 to 221 to approve a bill “that makes it cheaper to strip companies of public concessions, a move that will give [the ruling coalition government] more leverage in talks to resolve a clash over Autostrade per l’Italia SpA’s license to operate [toll] highways.” According to the article, the bill’s provisions “would significantly reduce the penalties Italy would have to pay in case of revocation. In Autostrade’s case, potential compensation would fall to as little as 6 billion euros ($6.5 billion) from more than 20 billion euros.” The bill now passes to Italy’s senate for final approval. (TRN removed one link.)

Reuters notes that the bill would also have the effect of freezing the toll rates set by most of the country’s toll road operators (including Atlantia-controlled Autostrade) “until they accept stricter tariff rules laid out by the transport authority.”

Autostrade per l'Italia Italy Mundys (formerly Atlantia) P3 & Privatization

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Truckers Claim They Paid a Price in Tolls for a Former Illinois Governor's Mistake

“Land Line” Magazine reports, former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich may have received presidential clemency — a February 18 prison sentence commutation — but that doesn’t mean truckers are inclined to pardon him for toll increases he authorized before he was ousted from office. (Several past increases in Illinois Tollway truck rates are reportedly linked to an unsuccessful  Blagojevich initaitive known as the “green lanes” plan.)

Crime Beat Illinois Illinois State Toll Highway Authority (IL Tollway)

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These are just some of the toll industry developments TRN is following.

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