MassDOT Commits $1B Over Five Fiscal Years for Cape Cod Bridge Construction
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has approved a revised five-year capital investment plan for the state’s transportation infrastructure. As part of the $18.5 billion infrastructure proposal, $1.09 billion over…
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has approved a revised five-year capital investment plan for the state's transportation infrastructure.
As part of the $18.5 billion infrastructure proposal, $1.09 billion over the next five fiscal years is allocated toward the reconstruction of Cape Cod's bridges that need attention. Much of this money is earmarked for the construction of a new Sagamore Bridge.
According to a Boston Herald report, the Army Corps of Engineers has determined that the Sagamore Bridge and the Bourne Bridge are in critical need of replacement.
Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt said that the allocation of the funds is more than an investment in public safety for all who use the bridge. It's an investment for the future of Massachusetts.
“Every transportation investment is an investment in people — connecting them to jobs, schools, health care, and each other,” Tibbits-Nutt said.
The estimated cost of replacing both bridges on the Cape with modern twin-bridge structures is approximately $4.5 billion. Replacing the Sagamore bridge represents approximately half — or about $2.1 billion — of the total.
According to the Boston Herald, Massachusetts has already committed approximately $2.3 billion toward the overall project cost. Roughly $1.72 million would come from federal grant funding, including $993 million in Bridge Project Grants provided by the Federal Highway Administration's Bridge Investment Program and $372 million in Department of Transportation Mega Grant Funds.
An additional $571 million in state bonds and $350 million in federally appropriated funds make up the balance of the funding commitments.
According to the Boston Herald's reporting, the two Cape Cod bridges were built in 1935. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains, operates, and owns them. Some preliminary work to get the project started began earlier this year; construction on the new bridges is expected to start in 2027.
