Keaton PetersMassachusetts is investing $2.42 billion to replace two aging bridges connecting the mainland to Cape Cod. This undertaking combines $1.72 billion in federal funding with $700 million in state support, marking one of the largest transportation investments in the state’s recent history.
The federal contribution makes up the lion’s share of the project’s budget, coming from various sources. The 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provides $1 billion through its Bridge Investment Program and an additional $372 million via the Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant Program.
Furthermore, Massachusetts’ Congressional delegation secured $350 million in federal funds through the Fiscal Year 2024 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act. To top it off, Gov. Maura Healey’s administration has pledged the remaining $700 million in state funds to ensure the project’s completion.
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These Cape Cod bridges serve as vital lifelines for the region’s economy, connecting the Cape to the mainland and facilitating tourism, commerce and the daily commute for thousands of residents. Modernizing these structures will enhance safety, improve traffic flow and support the area’s long-term economic growth.
Nationwide, nearly 221,800 bridges across the United States are in urgent need of repairs or replacement, according to a recent analysis by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association. The estimated cost to address all these bridges is over $400 billion.
While progress has been made in recent years, with nearly 3,000 poor condition bridges replaced since 2020, over 42,000 bridges are still rated as poor and classified as structurally deficient. With projects such as the one in Cape Cod, the U.S. is slowly chipping away at that multibillion-dollar backlog.
The Sagamore Bridge is the focus of the project’s first phase and dates back to the 1930s. Along with its twin, the Bourne Bridge, which is the subject of the project’s second phase, it has served as a crucial gateway to Cape Cod for nearly a century. However, the bridges have long outlived their intended lifespan and struggle to accommodate modern traffic volumes, especially during peak tourist seasons.
With the signing of the recent Memorandum of Agreement between state and federal agencies, the project is poised to move forward. The next steps involve the Federal Highway Administration’s Eastern Federal Lands Division using the transferred $350 million to begin construction on a portion of the new Sagamore Bridge.
No specific timeline has yet been announced for the groundbreaking or completion of the Sagamore or Bourne bridge.
The Cape Cod Bridges are not the only Massachusetts infrastructure receiving significant investment. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority recently secured a $472 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Infrastructure Project Assistance (MEGA) Program for the replacement and modernization of the North Station Draw One Bridge in Boston.
This project, with a total budget of $1.2 billion, will replace the nearly 100-year-old bridge that carries commuter rail lines over the Charles River.
Photo courtesy Lcampbelll
