Infrastructure

As the Trump administration puts its stamp on dispensing infrastructure funding, proponents of P3's, PABs, federal and formula funding are squaring off against grants to state and local governments.

Private investment is key to the train's future, said the CEO.

Flight delays and safety concerns at Newark Airport has pushed FAA funding levels back into the headlines as the idea of issuing user fee supported bonds to provide a non-political revenue stream comes back to life.

The rating agency expects a decline in U.S. air passenger numbers this year due to a deceleration in U.S. economic growth, it said in a report this week. 

The bonds have not reacted to the most recent negative ratings actions, although one buysider said that may soon change.

The downgrade pushes $2.2 billion of private activity bonds issued for the passenger train startup though the Florida Development Finance Corp. to junk.

The U.S. Department of Transportation rolls out $3.2 billion via 329 infrastructure grants that will fund more than 3,200 projects that the agency contends were tangled up in red tape and DEI requirements.

Amid deep cuts to public K-12 schools, the proposed budget would boost charter school investment as the administration said "more local school options are needed."

With a funding agreement in the state budget, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is gearing up to start capital repairs — and find $3 billion of savings. 

As cutting the federal budget resonates as a central theme in the Trump administration, the Department of Transportation is getting a boost in appropriation proposals.