The current North Station Draw One Bridge. MBTA[/caption
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s project to replace a bridge at North Station took another step forward on Thursday, March 5, with the signing of a Project Labor Agreement to support construction of the Draw One Bridge replacement.
The bridge, which handles more than 1,000 trains per week, will be replaced in a project estimated to cost $1.2 billion. Funding includes a $472.3 million National Infrastructure Project Assistance grant, the largest federal infrastructure grant in MBTA history [see “MBTA receives $472 million …,” Trains.com, Sept. 25, 2024].
Gov. Maura Healey said in a press release that the bridge project “is one of the most important rail infrastructure projects in Massachusetts history. … This agreement will help ensure this project is completely safely, on time and on budget, and we’re proud to stand with our partners in labor to deliver this for the people of Massachusetts.”
The agreement signed Thursday establishes wages, safety standards, and working conditions for contractors and subcontractors. The project is expected to create more than 15,600 direct and indirect jobs, the state says.
“This Project Labor Agreement is invaluable to the successful delivery of Draw One,” said Phillip Eng, MBTA general manager and interim state transportation secretary. “It provides labor stability, harmony, and predictability for this highly complex, multi-year construction effort, which will replace two movable bridges dating back to 1931 while ensuring the MBTA can maintain active rail operations and service for the public.”
The project is expected to take approximately 6.5 years, and is currently in procurement, with contractor selection pending.
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