The Healey Administration has applied for more than $2 billion in federal grant funds aimed at four large scale infrastructure projects which could substantially improve traffic and ease travel in the impacted regions.
According to a release from the governor’s office, the state has sought funds to support replacement of the Cape Cod bridges, the Allston I-90 Multimodal project, renovations to North Station and replacement of the Draw 1 bridge, and reconstruction of Route 9 in Williamsburg.
“From day one, we said our administration was going to compete for the unprecedented level of federal funding opportunities available to support infrastructure projects across our state that are crucial to our communities, economies, and environment. These ambitious applications represent an important step forward toward delivering on that promise,” Gov. Maura Healey said in a statement.
Grant applications were made under the Department of Transportation’s Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant Opportunity program, which allows applicants to simultaneously seek funds under the National Infrastructure Project Assistance grants program, the Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highways Projects grants program, and the Rural Surface Transportation Grant program.
“The Healey-Driscoll Administration applied to all three funding programs as part of its competitive application process to secure federal dollars for Massachusetts infrastructure projects,” the governor’s office said in a release.
The Cape Cod Bridges are currently owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who have determined the busy spans must be replaced to meet the needs of residents and visitors, and to prevent maintenance costs from piling up.
According to the Healey Administration, the state’s application for funds was made jointly with the Army Corps, with the potential to net $1.45 billion from the federal government. Replacing both bridges will cost upwards of $4 billion. Healey recently announced a plan to shift focus on the project and rebuild one bridge at a time.
“This application places Massachusetts in the strongest position to get shovels in the ground quickly on the Sagamore Bridge while laying the groundwork for rebuilding the Bourne Bridge. The Healey-Driscoll Administration continues to advance the permitting and design of both bridges,” the governor’s office said in a release.
The state is seeking $200 million for the Allston I-90 Multimodal Project, an application made in collaboration with Harvard University, Boston University, and the City of Boston. It would reconnect Allston with the Charles River waterfront, upgrade the Paul Dudley White Path, and create an MBTA West Station to provide rail access from central and Western Massachusetts.
“The Allston Multimodal Project is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve the lives and livelihoods of families all across our city and region with safer roads, access to jobs, and new parks and housing,” Mayor Michelle Wu said in the release. “In restoring the neighborhood connections lost to hulking highway infrastructure decades ago, Allston will be home to new spaces for community and access to the Charles River, along with a transit hub to serve the entire region.”
The MBTA is seeking $672 million in grant funding to replace the Draw 1 bridge, which trains traverse as they leave or approach North Station, and renovate the station. Replacing the bridge, according to the governor’s office, would allow six sets of tracks to operate into and out of North Station.
“The project to replace the North Station drawbridge is crucial to ensuring that we can safely and reliably provide train service in and out of North Station. It will allow us to operate trains more efficiently as we expand the number of tracks across a new bridge,” MBTA General Manager Phil Eng said.
The reconstruction of Route 9, otherwise known as the Williamsburg Route 9 Reconstruction project, could get as much as $44 million if the grant applications are approved.
The route, according to Healey Administration Rural Affairs Director Anne Gobi, “is a critical gateway for residents, visitors, and goods to get to and from Western Mass, including many of our rural communities.”