INNOVATION CORNER

摘要

Decreasing resources and increasing demands require Federal and State transportation agencies to explore innovative financing tools for infrastructure projects. State infrastructure banks (SIBs) are one such tool. Compared to relying entirely on grant-based financing, SIBs can offer accelerated project delivery, provide lower borrowing costs, and facilitate completion of financial plans. 'A federally funded SIB, much like a private bank, can offer a range of loans and credit enhancement products to public and private sponsors of highway, transit, or rail projects,' says Mark Sullivan, director of the Federal Highway Administration's Center for Innovative Finance Support. As transportation agencies repay loans or other forms of credit assistance to the SIB, the bank's initial capital is replenished to support a new cycle of projects.