On Monday, the state of Massachusetts announced it had signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the U.S. Department of the Army and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to move forward with rebuilding the Sagamore Bridge in Cape Cod.
The MOA included the transfer of $350 million in federal funding that would move the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) further in replacing the bridge. Under the agreement the federal money, part of the FHWA appropriations, will be used to construct a portion of the Sagamore Bridge as part of MassDOT’s overall replacement project.
The new MOA will support the current plan to begin construction on Cape Cod. Officials said the Sagamore Bridge is a vital connection between the Cape and surrounding communities. The Sagamore Bridge Project is Phase 1 of the Cape Cod Bridges Program that will see the rebuilding of both the Sagamore and Bourne Bridges while making investments into other transportation infrastructure along the Cape Cod Canal.
“We’re one step closer to replacing the Cape Cod Bridges—a decades-overdue project that will lift up the entire region,” U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) said. “An investment this big is made possible only by teamwork, and it’s thanks to our strong federal, state, and local partnership that we were able to secure over $2 billion for the bridges. I’ll keep working closely with Senator Markey, Representative Keating, Governor Healey, and the delegation to get this crucial project to the next stage.”
Officials said the project will spur economic growth, improve safety and lift the quality of life for the region and the state.