- Indiana Begins Takeover of $300-Million-Plus I-69 Project from Financially Stressed DBO Partner
- CTRMA Announces Plans for US 183 N Toll Lanes Project (MoPac Connection Included)
- United Bridge Partners Pitches Michigan City on New P3 Project
- Connecticut House Is Agonizingly Close to Vote on Revised Toll Bill
- Metro Seattle's I-90 Express Lanes Make Way for New HOV Lanes
- Bondholders Ask Federal Court to Stop Puerto Rico Toll Revenue Diversion
- MnDOT Considers Purchasing Cameras or Portable Readers to Aid in Detection of HOT Lane Cheats
- Metro Vancouver Mayors Appoint Independent Commission to Study Mobility Pricing
- MTA's RFK Bridge Goes Cashless on June 15
- NY Mayor De Blasio Denies City Already Has the Power to Toll Bridges
- Trump Risks Seeing His Infrastructure Initiative Bog Down in Congress
- Colorado DOT Telephone Town Halls Initiative Expects to Reach 350,000 Residents
- Kansas Turnpike Car Chase Results in Arrest of Driver with Child Passenger
- Del Rio International Bridge's New Toll Plaza Scheduled for August Opening
- Jexway Plans to Acquire Stake in Hanoi Toll Road Company
- WestConnex Sales Process Expected to Start This Month
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Indiana Begins Takeover of $300-Million-Plus I-69 Project from Financially Stressed DBO Partner
The Indianapolis Star reports, “The state of Indiana intends to take control of the troubled I-69 [Section 5] project from Bloomington to Martinsville as the public-private partnership used to finance and build the highway crumbles.” The newspaper adds, “The state’s negotiations to buy out the bonds for the project have been unsuccessful so far,” but the Indiana Finance Authority (IFA) has announced that “the state is moving forward with the goal of assuming control.” The newspaper adds, IFA has not declared the developer, I-69 Development Partners, to be in default, and the company said “it will continue to participate in confidential discussions with the aim of ensuring the successful completion of the project. We are confident that we can reach an agreement with the IFA.” [Link inserted.]
Indiana Indiana Finance Authority (IFA) P3 & PrivatizationCTRMA Announces Plans for US 183 N Toll Lanes Project (MoPac Connection Included)
Community Impact Newspaper reports, “A proposal to add two new toll lanes on US 183 North in Northwest Austin will likely use the same design and construction process used on toll projects on MoPac and US 183 South, staffers with the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority said last week.” The estimated cost of the project, which includes a connection between 183 North MoPac’s express lanes, is estimated at $650 million, according to the newspaper.
Austin (TX) Metro Area Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) Express LanesUnited Bridge Partners Pitches Michigan City on New P3 Project
MLive.com reports that United Bridge Partners (which includes American Infrastructure Funds and Figg Bridge Group) “is proposing to construct, own, operate and maintain a new, 120-foot tall fixed bridge that would replace Independence Bridge and take over ownership and operations of Liberty Bridge, two pieces of Bay City [Michigan] infrastructure in dire need of millions of dollars in repairs. By taking ownership of the bridges, the firm would relieve the city of a substantial liability, but it would also charge a toll to the thousands of motorists who use the spans on a daily basis.”
Michigan P3 & PrivatizationConnecticut House Is Agonizingly Close to Vote on Revised Toll Bill
Connecticut Post reports, “Proponents of highway tolls are just one vote away from getting a bill through the House of Representatives. But the legislation has drastically evolved over the last week and it would now become a study of the issue, with another vote in the General Assembly next year on implementation, according to Democratic majority leaders in the House.”
ConnecticutMetro Seattle's I-90 Express Lanes Make Way for New HOV Lanes
KOMO reports, “The I-90 express lanes are now permanently closed. New HOV lanes have opened in both directions just in time for the Monday morning [June 5] commute.” The station adds, “The HOV lanes were squeezed in so that Sound Transit can begin work on its East Link project, which will expand light rail service from Downtown Seattle to Redmond by 2023.”
Express Lanes Washington State Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT)Bondholders Ask Federal Court to Stop Puerto Rico Toll Revenue Diversion
Law360.com (subscription required) reports, “Holders of $65 million in bonds issued by Puerto Rico’s Highways and Transportation Authority said Monday [June 5] that the judge overseeing the commonwealth’s restructuring should block the island’s government from diverting their security interests in highway toll revenues to pay general expenses, calling it a constitutional violation.”
Click here to download a copy of the hearing motion and brief from Prime Clerk.
Issues of Law Puerto Rico Highways and Transportation AuthorityMnDOT Considers Purchasing Cameras or Portable Readers to Aid in Detection of HOT Lane Cheats
Star Tribune reports that the Minnesota Department of Transportation is looking into the purchase of technology to help with enforcement of I-35 MnPASS lane rules. State Patrol troopers currently rely on unaided observation to catch solo drivers using the HOT lanes without a transponder, but MnDOT may install cameras or equip troopers with portable readers to aid in the detection of scofflaws.
Minnesota Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) (MnPASS)Metro Vancouver Mayors Appoint Independent Commission to Study Mobility Pricing
Vancouver Sun reports, “Metro Vancouver moves one step closer to mobility pricing following the creation of an independent commission tasked to look at how to implement such a system in the region.” The newspaper adds, “The identities of the commissioners, as well as the commission’s terms of reference, are expected to be revealed [today, June 6] at a media event in downtown Vancouver by the Mayors Council and TransLink.”
British Columbia Canada Road Use Charging (RUC-MBUF-VMT)MTA's RFK Bridge Goes Cashless on June 15
QNS reports that the MTA’s Robert F. Kennedy Bridge will go cashless starting Thursday, June 15, after which drivers will need an E-ZPass account or pay toll bills by mail. In an announcement quoted by the website, Governor Andrew Cuomo said, “A critical route for both commuters and visitors, cashless tolling on the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge will improve the safety of all motorists and reduce congestion to streamline travel between Queens, Manhattan, and the Bronx.”
AET (All-Electronic Tolling) Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) New York CityNY Mayor De Blasio Denies City Already Has the Power to Toll Bridges
New York Post reports that New York Mayor Bill de Blasio quickly dismissed the Move NY campaign’s argument (presented during at a June 5 city council hearing) that the city now has authority under state law to implement its own congestion mitigation plan, bridge tolling included. The mayor told reporters at a news conference, “The only way congestion pricing can even be considered is through Albany. That’s what has been determined by the Law Department long ago, and that’s not going to happen at this point in time.”
Congestion Pricing New York New York CityTrump Risks Seeing His Infrastructure Initiative Bog Down in Congress
Politico reports that “Capitol Hill aides say a broad infrastructure bill isn’t going anywhere any time soon. . . .” The White House launched a week-long “infrastructure theme” yesterday, in part to promote its $1 billion infrastructure investment proposal, but Politico’s observes, “Continuing to toss ambitious proposals into an already-stuffed legislative calendar poses a danger for Trump: If he and Congress can’t regroup to focus on one priority at a time, they could end up seeing the president’s three biggest policy objectives — tax reform, health care and infrastructure — stuck in the Capitol.”
The Hill reports, “Major elements of President Trump’s infrastructure initiative are facing staunch opposition from Democrats, increasing the likelihood that Republicans will have to go it alone.”
Trump Administration Infrastructure PlanColorado DOT Telephone Town Halls Initiative Expects to Reach 350,000 Residents
KDVR reports, “Starting [June 5], the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is hosting six telephone town halls, during which the public can ask questions and give input on a variety of transportation issues. Between [June 5 and June 13], residents in all 64 counties will be called at random through an automated system and invited to take part in a regional town hall to discuss the state’s transportation needs, important projects or initiatives and funding.”
Colorado Colorado Department of TransportationKansas Turnpike Car Chase Results in Arrest of Driver with Child Passenger
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that a man was arrested in south Topeka “after leading state troopers on a high-speed chase on the Kansas Turnpike, crashing the stolen car he was driving, then leaving a small child in the vehicle as he fled the scene, authorities said.”
Crime Beat Kansas Turnpike Authority (KTA)Del Rio International Bridge's New Toll Plaza Scheduled for August Opening
Del Rio News-Herald (subscription required) reports, “The Del Rio International Bridge new toll plaza is nearing completion and is expected to open sometime in August, Del Rio city officials announced last week. Bridge Superintendent Margie Montez said renovations,” which include a new toll system, will “decrease wait times and provide additional security for travelers.”
City of Del Rio (Texas) International Bridge TexasJexway Plans to Acquire Stake in Hanoi Toll Road Company
The Yomiuri Shimbun reports, “Japan Expressway International Co. [“Jexway”], a group of expressway operators including Central Nippon Expressway Co., announced [on June 4] that it will enter the toll road business in Vietnam. Amid the sluggish pace of new expressway projects in Japan, the company. . . is aiming to secure a new revenue source from the maintenance and management of expressways in Vietnam, which has seen a rise in the number of vehicles.”
Acquisitions and Mergers Japan Expressway International Co. (Jexway) VietnamWestConnex Sales Process Expected to Start This Month
The Australian reports that within two weeks, “the early stages of the sales process for WestConnex,” the US$12.6 billion tollway and tunnel project in Sydney, are expected to start “with a market-sounding exercise to be conducted with interested parties. A deadline of October has been pencilled in for parties to lodge expressions of interest. The understanding is that bidders will have an opportunity to put forward proposals to buy anywhere between 51 per cent and 100 per cent of Sydney Motorway Corporation,” the government company responsible for the project.
Australia