Infra Insight Blog

California will soon have a new authority that can authorize California transportation agencies to toll transportation facilities, eliminating the need for legislative approval for each tolling project. 

AB 798, a bill sponsored by state treasurer Bill Lockyer and recently signed by Governor Schwarzenegger, creates a new state level agency, the California Transportation Finance Authority, with the limited purpose of issuing revenue bonds for new capacity or improvements to the state transportation system at the request of a public sector project sponsor. Project sponsors ...

California is now ready to assess P3 candidate projects. At its October 14^th meeting, the California Transportation Commission approved policy guidance addressing the Commission’s role in selecting proposed P3 projects. The CTC developed the guidelines to assist Caltrans and regional transportation agencies (RTAs) as they move to develop P3 transportation projects, taking advantage of the new authority granted to them under Senate Bill X2 4, enacted in February of this year.

The enabling legislation requires the CTC to select projects nominated by Caltrans or an RTA ...

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), announced at a press conference in Miami today that it has reached financial close on the Port of Miami Tunnel Project. 

FDOT, in partnership with Miami-Dade County and the City of Miami, entered into an agreement with MAT Concessionaire, LLC (MAT) which includes Meridiam Infrastructure Finance, S.a.r.l. and Bouygues Travaux Publics as equity members. The $900 million public-private partnership (PPP) deal uses an availability payment structure that provides for payment to MAT over 30 years after completion of construction ...

With the delay of the federal transportation re-authorization and federal transportation funding in limbo, state transportation agencies across the nation are trying to cope any way they can. In California this week, 19 self help local transportation financing agencies - that collectively generate more than $4 billion a year for transportation - drew a large crowd of transportation public agency officials, elected officials, contractors and consultants to the 20^th Annual Focus on the Future Conference in Los Angeles to explore their options. Conference speakers discussed current developments in transportation funding, environmental compliance and project delivery. The news on project delivery and innovation was positive, the environmental compliance news mixed, and the funding news pretty discouraging.

Interspersed with the grim chronicling of the current state and federal funding landscapes, the conference highlighted some bright spots, including federal ARRA funds, Measure R funding in Los Angeles, and innovative project delivery, PPPs and congestion pricing.

In the last week, much has been written about the submission of more than $50 billion in Track 2 high-speed and intercity passenger rail (HSIPR) funding applications to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).  But the resolution of FY 2010 transportation appropriations may be just as important in determining the direction of HSIPR and freight rail projects.

The OneRail Coalition, a coalition of passenger and freight rail stakeholders promoting investment in rail infrastructure, has written to House and Senate appropriators urging the highest possible support for HSIPR in the ...

Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) officials executed a comprehensive development agreement (CDA) Tuesday October 6 with NorthGate Constructors, J.V., led by Kiewit Texas Construction L.P. (Fort Worth), and Zachry Construction Corporation (San Antonio).  NorthGate Constructors, J.V. will develop, design and construct 8.4 miles of the SH 114/121 corridor known as the DFW Connector. Construction on the $1.02 billion design/build project is expected to begin by 2010 and the project is scheduled to open to traffic in 2014.
 

Included in New Jersey’s Economic Stimulus Act of 2009  are provisions to allow the use of PPPs to design, build, finance, operate and maintain higher education facilities.  Is this the start of a trend for developing social infrastructure in the US?

Social infrastructure includes housing, educational, recreational and law and order facilities that support the community's need for social interaction.  As reflected by several projects in Canada, this is not a new concept for North America.  Along with the recent use of a PPP for development of the Long Beach Courthouse, New Jersey’s ...

Two potential public-private partnership transit projects appear closer to leaving the station, after several delays. Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD) recently held a public hearing on the Eagle P3 project and is poised to issue a request for proposals to three prequalified/shortlisted teams on September 30th with proposals anticipated in March 2010. Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) is on an accelerated schedule for its stimulus-revamped Oakland Airport Connector project, with proposals due in late September and contract award slated for December.

The Federal ...

USDOT is weighing 1400 TIGER grant applications (11 of which requested TIFIA funding) totaling $57 billion in funding requests. The TIGER (Grants for Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) program provides for $1.5 billion in discretionary grants to high impact transportation projects, and could fund up to $200 million in TIFIA assistance.

Applications were due on September 15. Secretary LaHood has assembled a team to expedite application review, and plans to announce grants in January 2010 – a month ahead of the statutory deadline.

The program gives ...

The Florida Department of Transportation’s I-595 project and its public and private partners won several awards at this year’s American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) P3 conference. It’s pretty much a Florida sweep, declared Pamela Bailey-Campbell, ARTBA Public Private Ventures Division president, as she announced the recipients of the Project, Public Sector Entrepreneur, and Private Sector Entrepreneur of 2009.

Bailey-Campbell announced three awards at the September 25 award luncheon in Washington D.C. The I-595 project in Fort Lauderdale ...