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The state house in Maine has passed unanimously (144 to 0) a bill that greatly reduces the independence of the state Turnpike - a reaction to the self-indulgence under former CEO Paul Violette. Major loss of power comes with a provision that the proposed annual budget of the Turnpike must be submitted and approved by the Legislature each year. And an independent auditor will vet expenditures.

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder is sponsoring a bill to establish a New International Trade Crossing (NITC) Authority to form a partnership with the Canadians and allow the financing of a new Detroit River toll bridge to Canada downriver of the Ambassador. The bill does not give the new state authority a name but we'll call it the NITCA ('nitka') using the Governor's office naming of the project NITC.

The Maine Turnpike Authority is suffering serious damage from the reaction to the recent report by the state legislature's government accountability office (OPEGA). The local media in Maine is full of scathing renderings of the report - way harsher than our report (see link below.)

Five Republican state representatives appeared at a press conference today in Harrisburg to announce the filing of a bill to abolish the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and transfer its assets and functions to the state department of transportation. The bill H2134 was filed by Rep Mike Vereb, 150th District covering Montgomery County on the northwest side of the Philadelphia metro area.

July 2 2009 should be recorded as an important date in tollroad history. It was the day Chinese regulators gave the green light to Sichuan Expressway Company's Initial Private Offering (IPO) of shares in Shanghai, while in Texas, USA the legislature adjourned for 18 months slamming the door on investor pikes.

A senior Macquarie official, DJ Gribbin, managing director Macquarie Capital, New York, has penned a sharp critique of the toll concession legislation (S884, S885) introduced by US senators Bingaman and Grassley, saying it is surprising that they would propose disincentives to private investment at this time.

The Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal both had similar stories this week citing a Congressional Budget Office report saying that most of the money proposed in the Democrats stimulus package for  highways and other infrastructure would not get spent until after Oct 2010 (FY2010) when they forecast the recession would be over.

The Texas senate has passed a concession freeze bill providing for a moratorium on toll concessions by Texas DOT and except in the Dallas metro area through Sept 2009. This is close to the already passed House bill HB1892E so they say this is a now a bill that goes to state governor - who is nearly certain to veto it.

Gov Rendell's move to do a longterm lease/concession isn't the only turnpike game in Harrisburg. A bunch of Republican senators are proposing to submerge the Turnpike into the state DOT (PennDOT). They introduced a bill in the Senate (SB676) Apr 2 establishing a Bureau of Turnpike Administration (BTA) within PennDOT.