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Massachusetts wins roughly $472 million federal grant to replace North Station drawbridge
Summary
Governor Healy and federal, state and local leaders announced a roughly $472 million U.S. DOT grant to replace and modernize the century-old North Station drawbridge, aiming to boost capacity, maintain service during construction and create thousands of union jobs.
Governor Healy announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded the MBTA a roughly $472 million grant to replace and modernize the century-old North Station drawbridge, a project officials say will increase rail capacity, improve climate resilience and preserve service during construction.
"Today, we're here to celebrate what is the biggest federal funding award that the MBTA has ever received," Governor Healy said, calling the Draw 1 project critical to faster commutes and the regional economy. She credited a coordinated state effort, an Office of Federal Funds and Infrastructure and the support of the congressional delegation for securing the award.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren said the investment will make the transit system safer and more reliable while supporting union jobs. "This long overdue investment is a game changer for thousands of riders who pass through North Station every day," she said, and added the grant will support more than 14,500 good, union jobs.
Sen. Ed Markey described the award as a large share of national funding in this round and credited the bipartisan infrastructure law and sustained congressional advocacy for bringing the money to Massachusetts.
MBTA General Manager Phil Ng outlined project components, saying the work will replace the existing drawbridge with new vertical lift bridges, build a modern signal and control tower and upgrade tracks and signals. "These grants are highly competitive and winning means an acknowledgment of our ability to follow through and deliver," Ng said, and he pledged that staged construction and early-action work will allow commuter rail services and multiple tracks to be maintained during the project.
Officials said the upgrade will benefit more than 11 million passenger trips annually (about 30,000 daily riders) across commuter rail and Amtrak routes into North Station and the broader regional network. Funding will come from multiple programs, including multimodal discretionary grants and the National Infrastructure Project Assistance program.
MassDOT Secretary Monica Tibbits Nutt credited collaboration across federal, state and local partners and noted that the project will be constructed under project labor agreements to ensure union employment and workplace standards.
Asked about timing, Ng said procurement work will be released next year and some early shop and switch work could begin later this year; earlier internal projections estimated an approximately eight-year timeline to full completion, though officials said they will explore ways to accelerate work while maintaining service.
Officials from Boston, state legislative leaders and labor representatives joined the announcement and described the investment as a catalyst for economic growth, improved accessibility for riders with disabilities and a contribution to cleaner, electrified transit across the region.
The event concluded with officials thanking teams across agencies and the federal delegation; no formal vote or municipal approval was announced at the event, and project procurement and phasing remain subject to future procurement schedules and regulatory reviews.
