la Frontera In the News

Austin Business Journal (online)

December 17, 2002

Turnpike project wins Southwest honor

The Central Texas Turnpike System — one of the country's largest toll road projects — has been named "Southwest Deal of the Year" by The Bond Buyer, a national trade publication for the bond market.

In late November, the Central Texas Turnpike System was named one of five finalists for the publication's Deal of the Year award.

Financing for the $2.9 billion Central Texas turnpike project includes a $2.2 billion bond sale, a federal loan, state highway funds and contributions from local governments. The project will develop several toll roads in the Austin area.

The Texas Turnpike Authority's bond sale for the Central Texas Turnpike System was the largest bond issue ever in Texas.

Other nationally recognized bond deals for 2002 were handled by New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the Palm Beach County School District and San Francisco's Bay Area Toll Authority.

The Bond Buyer is published by Thomson Media, a division of Toronto-based The Thomson Corp. [NYSETOC].