The Cape Cod bridge replacement project has cleared a new hurdle, securing the highest level of environmental review from the federal highway administration.
Friday’s record of decision caps a two-year process, and not only allows the project to proceed but also paves the way for more than a billion dollars in federal funding.
Leaders behind the project are celebrating the federal highway administration’s decision. Executive Director of MassDOT Megaproject Delivery, Luisa Paiewonsky, who is heading the replacement project, called it a major milestone.
“This is something that we’ve been eyeing for the last two years. It’s been circled on our calendar that June 26 was the date we expected we’d receive that approval, and it arrived on time,” Paiewonsky said. “So we’re going to take a little pause to enjoy the moment and then get right back to work.”
Friday’s record of decision is also the first time since 1991 that a road project in Massachusetts has received a final environmental impact statement. The last one was the Big Dig, which Paiewonsky said highlights the massive size and scale of the Cape project.
While the Big Dig will go down in history for its ballooning budgets and delays, Paiewonsky said it was ultimately a great benefit for Boston, Massachusetts and even surrounding states. And it’s helped her team learn how to be successful going forward.
“Many of us on the project team who have come up through the transportation ranks have learned not only from the Big Dig but from other projects around the country, about what makes a project get delivered on time and on budget,” Paiewonsky said.
On the logistical side, last week’s approval concludes the federal National Environmental Policy Act process, clears the way for final permitting and brings Massachusetts closer to securing $1.2 billion in federal grants to help construct the new bridges.
Currently, the state team is soliciting bids from contractors for the replacement of the Sagamore bridge. And there’s been a lot of interest. Paiewonsky said that 99 firms attended a recent informational meeting about the contract. Bids are due in the last week of July, after which the state will begin whittling down selections. Pre-construction activities could begin as early as late 2027.
As for the latest, load testing has been ongoing since March on the Sagamore Bridge. That’s part of a preliminary study prior to designing the bridge’s new foundation. The Sagamore replacement has been fully funded, but the estimated $2.4 billion Bourne Bridge is not, so the timeline for the Bourne remains uncertain.
Governor Maura Healey was also celebrating Friday’s decision.
"From day one, we've made replacing the Cape Cod Bridges a top priority because we know how important they are to residents, businesses and everyone who depends on them,” Healey was quoted in a release published on Tuesday. “This federal approval is another major step toward delivering the modern, reliable bridges that Cape Cod deserves, and we'll keep working every day to move this project into construction."
Barnstable County Commissioners announced the bridge project had received the state approval on Monday at its regular meeting.
