The Bay State’s utility for almost $2 billion from the feds to interchange the traditional Bourne and Sagamore bridges has been denied, in line with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.
MassDOT on Wednesday introduced {that a} U.S. Army Corps of Engineers federal grant utility, searching for $1.88 billion from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration first spherical of the Bridge Investment Program Grants, has been rejected.
The $1.88 billion represents 47% of the estimated $3.98 billion complete mission price for design and building of the Cape Cod bridges. The USACE constructed, operates and maintains the Bourne and Sagamore bridges, and the 2 bridges are a federally-owned asset.
“The Cape Cod Bridges are federal assets, and the responsibility to replace them lies with the USACE and the federal government,” MassDOT spokesperson Jacquelyn Goddard mentioned in a press release. “The Baker-Polito Administration is upset that this newest funding utility has been denied.
“Despite these bridges being federal assets, the Administration has spent considerable time, energy and funds to support replacing the bridges, including working with the Legislature to pass significant funding to replace the approaches to the bridges and authorization for Massachusetts to compete for federal grants,” Goddard added. “MassDOT will continue to pursue every possible avenue to support the USACE’s efforts to secure federal discretionary funds to replace the bridges.”
MassDOT and the USACE have been working collectively on plans to interchange the federally-owned Bourne and Sagamore bridges. The two bridges present the one roadway connection on and off Cape Cod for the 263,000 residents of the Cape and Islands, in addition to for five million annual guests.
The mission would substitute each bridges and enhance the adjoining roadway community.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration introduced the primary spherical of Large Bridge Project Grants from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s aggressive Bridge Investment Program. The Connecticut Department of Transportation can be receiving $158 million to rehab the northbound construction of the Gold Star Memorial Bridge, which is a part of the Interstate 95 hall over the Thames River between New London and Groton.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”