A new appropriations bill before Congress includes $350 million for repairs to the Cape Cod bridges.
The influx of funding is part of the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, released on Monday.
The Cape and Islands federal legislative delegation cheered the additional funds for the estimated $4.5 billion project.
“This funding is another major step towards replacing the aging Sagamore and Bourne bridges and delivering much-needed federal investment to Cape Cod, the Islands, and the surrounding region,” said U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Ed Markey, and U.S. Rep. Bill Keating said in a joint statement.
If the proposed bill is passed, the bridge replacement project will have a total of $722 million, with the rest coming from the $372 million grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation in December.
State officials last year said they would first prioritize replacing the Sagamore Bridge because it sees more traffic.
The Sagamore and Bourne bridges are the only two passageways for cars trying to reach the Cape or the Islands. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers concluded five years ago that the bridges need to be replaced.
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