Hochtief, Germany's largest builder, expects to get less than 1 billion euros ($1.47 billion) from the possible sale of shares in its Concessions unit, several people with knowledge of the matter said. Join discussion...

Europe's engineering and rail companies are lining up for some potentially lucrative U.S. contracts for high-speed rail projects. At stake is $13 billion in stimulus funds that the Obama administration is allocating to upgrade existing rail lines and build new ones that could one day rival Europe's fastest. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood traveled through Europe this week, riding France's 200 mile-per-hour bullet train, and meeting officials from several companies eager for U.S. orders. Join discussion...

North Carolina Turnpike Authority (NCTA) signed a project development agreement today with an ACS-led group that gives them a right of first refusal on building the Outer Banks' Mid-Currituck bridge as a longterm toll concession. Environmental permitting is under way. The development group will bear the bulk of the costs of remaining project Join discussion...

The $1.8-billion project—which involves improvements to Interstate 595 in Florida—brings together the U.S. Dept. of Transportation, Spanish infrastructure firm ACS Dragados, and Banco Santander, Sabadell, Banco Popular Espanol, BBVA. Caja Madrid, Calxnova, La Caixa, Societe General, Caylon, Dexia, WestLB, and the National Bank of Australia. Join discussion...

AECOM Technology Corporation (NYSE: ACM), a leading provider of professional technical and management support services for government and commercial clients around the world, announced today that it has been awarded a $70-million, five-year contract by Dragados USA for design and construction services to upgrade Florida’s I-595 highway Join discussion...

Billions of dollars of private capital for infrastructure may pile into California with the state, the world's eighth-largest economy, opened to public-private partnerships. The tie-ups, known as "P3s," had been blocked by state employee unions because they allow private companies to both build and operate public works. But Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger recently signed a bill allowing state transportation planners to approve unlimited P3 projects through 2017. Join discussion...

In a deal struck last week, a Spanish-led group will be paid as much as $1.8 billion over 35 years to design, build, operate and maintain three new toll lanes along traffic-clogged Interstate 595 near Fort Lauderdale. The agreement came as something of a surprise during a period of turmoil in credit markets, and many experts called it a model for how states and private investors can work together to upgrade the nation's aging roads, bridges and other transportation infrastructure. Join discussion...

Despite the forbidding financial climate some big projects seem to be going to financial close, though others are delayed. Florida's 595 Express successfully closed March 3, with simultaneous signings of nearly $800m of bank loans and $200m in equity in New York City, some $700m of TIFIA loans in Washington DC, and contract document signings at District 4 FDOT offices in Ft Lauderdale. There has not been an official announcement as we write, although apparently it is reported in Project Finance. Join discussion...

The Texas Department of Transportation announced Thursday it received two proposals to give LBJ freeway (IH-635) a big face lift. Join discussion...

A year after forging an alliance to pursue large-scale P3 transportation projects in the United States, engineering giants MMM Group Ltd. of Canada and H.W. Lochner Inc. of the U.S. have landed a major assignment in North Carolina. Join discussion...