The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) recently received $50.5 million in federal funding for its State Transportation Improvement Plan.
The funds will be used to replace two bridges. The first bridge carries Route 44 over Route 24 in Raynham.
The second bridge carries North Washington Street between Charlestown and the North End in Boston. The bridge, built in 1900, also carries pedestrian traffic on the Freedom Trail. Its new design will feature seating areas and wider sidewalks and will match the modern architecture of the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge.
“These federal funds will allow us to invest in key transportation projects that will better allow travelers to safely and reliably get to where they need to go using their preferred mode of transportation,” Acting Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver said. “We appreciate the Federal Highway Administration distributing these important dollars and thank the MassDOT staff members who are helping improve our infrastructure and better connect people with the places that improve their quality of life.”
Since 2015, the state has spent more than $2.8 billion on infrastructure projects. It also has authorized more than $700 million in local transportation funding and invested $30 million in bridges ineligible for federal aid.
Approximately 80 bridges have been replaced.