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WASHINGTON, D.C. (WBZ NewsRadio) — The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded MassDOT and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers a $372 million grant to replace one of the aging Cape Cod Canal Bridges, state leaders announced Friday.
In a joint statement, Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Congressman Bill Keating (MA-09) said the money will go towards fixing the Sagamore Bridge.
"This funding is a critical down payment on the effort to replace the Sagamore and Bourne bridges and a recognition that replacing the aging bridges will bring immense economic, environmental, and social benefits to Cape Cod, the Islands, and the entire Commonwealth," the statement read. "We are proud to have worked extensively to help secure this funding, and we commend the Healey administration for its leadership in ushering in a new era for the bridges. With this grant, the Biden administration is further demonstrating that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is delivering for Massachusetts and the entire country."
Funding came from an application submitted in August by the Healey Administration to the Federal Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant program, Governor Maura Healey's Office said in a statement. The program includes the Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight & Highway Projects (INFRA) program and the National Infrastructure Project Assistance (MEGA) program.
Healey's statement added that the Healey Administration and Army Corps of Engineers have an outstanding application for $1.06 billion in grant funding through the Bridge Investment Program (BIP) Large Bridge Project Program to replace the Sagamore Bridge.
"This is a huge win for Team Massachusetts," Governor Healey said. "Our administration said from day one that we were going to compete aggressively for federal funding to bring home to support crucial infrastructure projects in Massachusetts, like the Cape Cod Bridges project. We are thrilled that our first application was a success, and we are optimistic that we are in a strong position to bring home the remaining funding. We’re grateful for the leadership of the Biden-Harris Administration and for the strong partnership of Senators Markey and Warren and Congressman Keating."
In July, Senators Markey and Warren announced they had secured $350 million for the Cape Cod Bridges in the Senate’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget, committing an additional $600 million for the following year.
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