MassDOT relaunches Municipal Small Bridge Program with additional $95M

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation has announced the relaunch of the Municipal Small Bridge Program, which provides grants for the replacement, rehabilitation and preservation of municipally owned bridges with spans between 10 and 20 feet.

Since 2017, the competitive grant program has invested $50 million through 117 awards. The relaunch adds $95 million to be spent over five years.

Every municipality in Massachusetts is eligible, and applications are due on April 1.

“This funding program has helped facilitate the development of small bridge projects across the Commonwealth that, due to their size, would be deemed ineligible for federal funding,” Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito said in a prepared statement. “We are pleased to work with cities and towns to address their infrastructure needs and support local economies.”

Funding is prioritized for bridges that are most in need of intervention, helping communities maintain their bridge networks and avoid lengthy detours that can result from bridge closures. By funding these key local projects, the program seeks to ensure that residents, essential service providers, and emergency responders can reach their destinations as safely as possible while also advancing the overall condition of the small bridge system.

For example, the town of Granville received $500,0000 through the Municipal Small Bridge Program in 2019 for the rehabilitation of a bridge on Old Westfield Road over Hollister Brook. Without these improvements, a future bridge closure would necessitate a 12-mile detour. Old Westfield Road also provides a direct route to the Baystate Noble Hospital in Westfield, further highlighting the importance of supporting bridge projects in key locations such as this.

To be considered for funding, small bridges must be on a local public way and must be on the State Bridge Inventory and have a span between 10 and 20 feet.

The program uses phased grants to municipalities in order to separately fund the design and construction of small bridge projects. A Phase 1 grant is designated for the costs of bridge design and permitting and may provide up to $100,000. A Phase 2 grant provides funding for the costs of construction up to $500,000.

Applications are being accepted for both Phase 1 and Phase 2 grants.

MassDOT now connects Phase 1 design grant awardees directly with a MassDOT-led consultant for the design of the approved bridge improvements. This update to the program is intended to give communities additional support to ensure their projects are successful.

The application document is a fillable PDF that collects information about the bridge, its impact on the community, and the community’s financial and logistical needs. Applications must include preliminary cost estimates (including a recommended 15% contingency), photographs and repair history.

Applications may be submitted to SmallBridgeProgram@dot.state.ma.us.

The Municipal Small Bridge Program, which is 100% state-funded, was authorized in the 2021 transportation bond bill for $95 million over five years. In order for authorization to be used, all program funds must be programmed in MassDOT’s Capital Investment Plan (CIP).

To learn more about MassDOT grant programs, visit geodot-local-massdot.hub.arcgis.com/pages/grants.