The Massachusetts Transport Board of Directors approved a five -year capital investment plan of approximately $ 18.5 billion, including $ 1.09 million for the long -awaited CAPE COD codes program. At the age of 90, the Sagamore Bridge and the Bourne Bridge, the only roads on the CAPE COD channel, both are considered functionally obsolete by Massdot.
Most of the bottom of the plan to replace the two bridges would go to the construction of the first phase of the new Sagamore bridge. The bridges are owned by the United States Army Engineers Corps, but according to an agreement between the State and the Corps, Massdot will be responsible for the replacement projects and will have, will operate and maintain the two new bridges after they are completed. The planned twin bridges would also include shared paths for pedestrians and cyclists.
It is estimated that the replacement of the two bridges will cost more than $ 4.5 billion, according to media reports, including $ 2.1 billion for Sagamore. The state has already reached $ 2.3 billion for the project, including various federal grants and appropriations, as well as state good.
The army body estimates that the maintenance of the existing bridges over the next 50 years would cost $ 775 million. According to the media reports, the pre -construction of the new bridges begun earlier this year, and the construction is expected to begin in 2027.
The capital investment plan also assigns more than $ 1 billion for the Massachusetts Bay transport authority, including funding for electricity system updates.
In addition to the Cape Cod and MBTA bridge funds, the plan also has $ 424 million for the multimodal allston I-90 project; $ 276 million for the I-195 for the rotation of the 18th exchange in New Bedford; $ 210 million for I-90/I-495 exchange improvements to Hopkinton and Westborough; $ 241 million to replace the Kernwood Avenue bridge over the Danvers River and the Hall-Whitaker Drawbridge on the Bass River in Beverly and Salem; $ 269 million to support the Rourke bridge replacement in Lowell; $ 176 million to replace the Arthur J. McKenna bridge to Springfield and West Springfield and $ 149 million to advance projects that support West-East Rail.
There are also funds for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and local roads and bridges, as well as $ 14 million for the reconstruction of the runway for the Beverly Regional Airport.
“Each transport investment is an investment in people, connecting them to jobs, schools, health care and one another,”, The secretary and CEO of Massdot said in a statement. “We now have a strong five -year capital investment plan that reflects our shared priorities and provides us with the tools to continue to build a more connected and equitable Massachusetts.”
