The U.S. Department of Transportation recently awarded the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) a $472.3 million National Infrastructure Project Assistance program grant to replace the North Station Draw One Bridge.
The drawbridge, spanning the Charles River, was built during the 1930s and connects Boston and Cambridge. It serves approximately 11.3 million passengers annually on MBTA Commuter Rail and Amtrak trains.
“This funding will help build greater connectivity for rail operations, create a better travel experience for users, and provide key upgrades that will benefit residents and visitors alike,” Massachusetts Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt said.
Work will include the replacement and modernization of the existing drawbridge, making the line climate resilient to sea-level rise, increasing safety, adding train capacity, and ensuring faster and more reliable rides.
Additional work includes station improvements, extending the bridge platform, replacing a control tower, connecting tracks 11 and 12 to the existing network, and upgrades to track, signal, communications, and infrastructure.
The project will a support more than 14,500 jobs.
This is the largest federal grant the MBTA has been awarded. The grant is part of the Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant program.
The commuter rail lines utilizing the bridge are the Fitchburg, Haverhill, Lowell, and Newburyport/Rockport lines.