New Agreement Transfers $350M to Federal Highway Administration for Canal Bridges Project
Massachusetts has secured $350 million in federal funding through a memorandum of agreement between the US Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Highway Administration to replace the aging Sagamore Bridge, as part of a larger effort to replace both Cape Cod canal bridges. The project, supported by federal and state officials including Governor Maura Healey and Senators Markey and Warren, aims to improve transportation infrastructure, with a total of $1.72 billion already secured for the initiative.
According to Cape News, Massachusetts has taken another step toward replacement of the aging Sagamore Bridge. The US Army Corps of Engineers has agreed to transfer $350 million in federal funding to the Federal Highway Administration, and those funds will be used to pay for a portion of the new bridge.
The transfer is contained in a new memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the US Department of the Army and the Federal Highway Administration and signed by Massachusetts Governor Maura T. Healey. Signing of the MOA was announced by the Healey-Driscoll administration last Friday, October 4.
US Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA) said the MOA proves that the collective work of the state’s legislative delegation in regard to replacement of the bridges is paying off. He expressed his gratitude to his colleague in the US Senate, Senator Elizabeth A. Warren (D-MA), as well as US Representative William R. Keating (D-9th District), Gov. Healey and the Biden-Harris administration “for their partnership to make this critical project a reality.”
“Today’s agreement on the Cape Cod bridges paves the way for a greener, safer and brighter future for the Cape, islands and the entire region,” Sen. Markey said.
Sen. Warren said that the agreement brings Massachusetts one step closer to replacing the canal bridges, “a decades-overdue project that will lift up the entire region.” She noted the teamwork among federal, state and local officials by which $2 billion has been secured for the replacement project.
“I’ll keep working closely with Senator Markey, Representative Keating, Governor Healey and the delegation to get this crucial project to the next stage,” the senator said.
Construction of a new Sagamore Bridge is Phase 1 of the canal bridges replacement program, which looks to replace both the Sagamore and the Bourne bridges with larger spans. The project includes other transportation infrastructure along the Cape Cod Canal to improve travel options for drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists.
The state has already secured a total of $1.72 billion in federal funding for the bridges replacement project, including $1 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s (BIL) Bridge Investment Program and $372 million from the BIL’s Federal Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant Program. It also includes $350 million secured by the Congressional delegation for the bridges in the Fiscal Year 2024 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, which was signed by President Joseph R. Biden Jr. Gov. Healey has also pledged $700 million in state support.
MassDOT Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver said that the signing of the agreement “is a crucial step for this transformational project.” Mr. Gulliver said the memorandum brings the replacement project one step closer to getting underway “and beginning the necessary improvements this Administration has committed to both the Cape Cod community and the commonwealth as a whole.”
