The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) will invest $472.3 million to replace the aging Draw One Bridge near North Station in Boston, a key rail link serving commuter rail and Amtrak service between Boston and Cambridge. State officials announced the project as part of Massachusetts’ ongoing effort to modernize rail infrastructure and expand passenger and freight capacity across the state.
MBTA will use a federal grant to support the project – the largest received in MBTA history – which will modernize a critical rail connection to support the commuter rail and Amtrak downtown service between Boston and Cambridge. Projected to create more than 15,600 direct and indirect jobs, the project represents the largest Project Labor Agreement (PLA) since Gov. Maura Healey signed Executive Order No. 641 to accelerate large-scale project timelines and maintain budgets.
The executive order serves as one of the most impactful measures produced in recent history to ensure government entities are equipped to deliver major construction projects without breaking the bank. Under the order, state agencies will review projects costing more than $35 million and determine if they need a PLA for completion. PLAs are collective bargaining agreements between contractors and labor organizations that establish ground rules for work on specific projects, ensuring workers receive high quality jobs while maintaining reasonable costs and schedules.
The MBTA has been working to shorten construction timelines, with the Draw One Bridge project going from a projected eight years to approximately 6.5 years to complete. The authority is in the process of procuring a contractor for construction work.
The Draw One Bridge was built during the Great Depression, and while it has served the region well, its structure is severely outdated and lacks the needed capacity and reliability needed to support safe operations. It isn’t alone, with the state currently in Phase 3 of the Cape Cod Bridges Program to replace the Sagamore and Bourne bridges – both of which are Depression-era structures.
The need to modernize historic rail transit infrastructure is an ongoing concern for the Massachusetts Legislature. In July 2025, lawmakers introduced the All Board Act that, if passed, will dedicate $200 billion over a five-year period to build high-speed rail, expand existing passenger rail service and electrify heavy pollution railyards and corridors. The legislation would also provide critical protections for union labor workforce and develop a rail personnel training grant program.
Photo by Pi.1415926535, CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0, from Wikimedia Commons
For more of the latest from the expansive government marketplace, check Government Market News daily for new stories, insights and profiles from public sector professionals. Check out our national contracting newsletter here.
