March 09, 2023

Warren, Markey, Keating Secure $350 Million in President Biden’s Budget to Replace Cape Cod Bridges

“Budget Includes an Initial $350 Million for Replacement of the Cape Cod Canal bridges, Toward a Commitment of $600 Million”

Text of Budget (PDF)

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Representative Bill Keating (D-Mass.) applauded the inclusion of $350 million, toward a commitment of $600 million, in President Biden’s budget for the Cape Cod Canal Bridges Project, to replace the aging Bourne and Sagamore Bridges on Cape Cod.

“I've been working hard to secure federal funding to replace the Cape Cod bridges and this initial $350 million, toward a commitment of $600 million, is a critical down payment in President Biden's budget,” said Senator Elizabeth Warren. “The Biden administration is demonstrating their commitment to this vital project, and I'll continue coordinating with local, state and federal partners on this much-needed investment for Massachusetts.”

“I applaud the Army Corps for requesting significant funding in its 2024 budget to replace the Cape Cod Bridges. This budget request demonstrates that the Army Corps is serious about replacing these outdated bridges and sends a clear signal that the Biden administration is committed to this project,” said Senator Ed Markey. “Thanks to ongoing collaboration among federal, state, and local partners and renewed commitment by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Army Corps, the Bridges project is entering a promising new phase. I am proud of this successful push with my colleagues Senator Warren and Congressman Keating to secure this budget request and am committed to fighting to ensure that Congress follows through on this request and appropriates critical federal funds for this project.” 

“The Bourne and Sagamore Bridges are a critical lifeline for the Cape and Islands – that’s the message my colleagues and I have delivered to the White House and President Biden personally, and today’s investment of $350 million towards the project clearly demonstrates that the White House understands this critical issue and is ready to make a down payment on replacing these federal assets,” said Congressman Bill Keating. “We are still in the early stages of this project, but I have been clear from the start that these bridges will be funded. The Cape Cod Canal bridges will be replaced, and I look forward to continuing to partner with the federal delegation and our federal, state, and local partners to ensure we continue moving forward.”

The Bourne and the Sagamore Bridges are vital assets for the Cape Cod economy and surrounding communities, and serve as the gateway to Cape Cod for more than a quarter of a million Cape and Islands residents and over 5 million visitors annually. With more than 35 million vehicles crossing the canal each year, the bridges are the sole access point for vehicular traffic to and from Cape Cod and serve as essential routes for general transportation, tourism, and evacuations in case of an emergency. After nearly 90 years of use, structural deficiencies in the bridges present a risk to the accessibility, safety and economic stability of the Cape Cod region. This federal funding from the president’s budget will go directly towards replacement of the aging bridges, supporting the regional economy and ensuring public safety.

Senators Warren and Markey and Representative Keating have been working for years to secure funding for the Cape Cod bridges: 

  • In February 2023, Senators Warren and Markey and Representative Keating sent a letter to Jamey L. Tesler, Acting Secretary of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) regarding the need for MassDOT to act quickly to take the necessary steps to obtain funding for the Cape Cod Bridges and to closely coordinate with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to submit a more competitive federal grant application in fiscal 2023.
  • In August 2022, the lawmakers wrote to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttegieg in support of the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the MassDOT application for funding through the FY2022 Bridge Investment Program Funding Opportunity.
  • In May 2022, the lawmakers wrote to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttegieg in support of the USACE and the MassDOT application for funding in the 2022 Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant (MPDG) program to replace the Bourne and Sagamore Bridges.
  • In January 2022, convened a meeting with leaders from the Corps, MassDOT, and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to detail efforts to replace the Bridges and again in April 2022 with MassDOT and the Corps
  • In November 2021, Senators Warren and Markey and Representative Keating worked to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to provide the Corps with a more than $11 billion increase in funding specifically for new construction projects and more than $9 billion in formula funds for Massachusetts
  • In April 2020, Senators Warren and Markey and Representative Keating commended the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for its final “Major Rehabilitation Evaluation Report” on the Bourne and Sagamore Bridges in Cape Cod.
  • In February 2020, Senators Warren and Markey and Representative Keating called on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to recommit to an earlier recommendation to replace the Sagamore and Bourne Bridges. 
  • In December 2019, Senators Warren and Markey and Representative Keating sent a letter to the two top officials in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), calling on them to adopt the recommendation of the USACE’s New England District and replace both Cape Cod Canal Bridges.
  • In October 2019, as part of America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, Senators Warren and Markey secured language directing the Army Corps of Engineers to repair or replace critical evacuation routes, such as the Sagamore and Bourne Bridges.
  • Also in October 2019, Senators Warren and Markey, and Congressman Keating, commended the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for its draft “Major Rehabilitation Evaluation Report” on the Sagamore and Bourne Bridges in Cape Cod.
  • In May 2019, Senators Markey and Warren, and Congressman Keating, introduced the Enhancing the Strength and Capacity of America’s Primary Evacuation Routes (ESCAPE) Act, legislation that dedicates $1 billion of federal resources to expand the capacity and improve the resilience of evacuation routes such as the Sagamore and Bourne bridges.
  • In June 2019, Congressman Keating secured $5 million in the House’s Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (T-HUD) Appropriations Bill for the redesign of the bridges in their role as federally designated escape routes.
  • In July of 2019, Senator Markey secured both the ESCAPE Act and a $3.265 billion nation-wide bridge investment program in the highway funding bill passed by the Environment and Public Works Committee.

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