Gov. Maura Healey speaks at Ironworkers Local 7 Union Hall March 5, 2026. The governor announced the $1.2 billion project replacing an aging Depression-era drawbridge over the Charles River will be completed under a newly signed project labor agreement. Photo by Katie Castellani | State House News Service
A $1.2 billion project to replace a Depression-era drawbridge in the heart of Boston’s commuter rail network will be completed under the terms of a newly signed project labor agreement, Gov. Maura Healey announced Thursday.
“Today is a big deal,” Healey said at Ironworkers Local 7’s Union Hall before someone in the crowd interrupted her speech, shouting “Yeah it is!”
The crowd of mostly construction workers and labor representatives, some sporting hard hats, erupted into one of several rounds of applause during her remarks. She was met with a standing ovation when she entered the union hall wearing jeans and carrying a cup of Dunkin.
“Replacing the Draw One Bridge is one of the most important rail infrastructure projects in Massachusetts history,” Healey said. “This project represents the kind of investments we are making in Massachusetts – creating thousands of good jobs while rebuilding critical infrastructure that keeps our economy and transportation network moving.”
Draw One has been carrying commuter rail tracks from Boston’s North Station over the Charles River since 1931. The bridge is responsible for transporting more than 11 million passengers per year as well as Amtrak’s Downeaster line, which runs up to Portland and Brunswick, Maine.
The MBTA says the project is meant to bring the drawbridge to a “state of good repair and increase safety for riders” on commuter rail lines. The project includes adding a third moveable span to the drawbridge and increasing the number of tracks from four to six. Also, it would replace a control tower, connect tracks 11 and 12 to the existing network and make upgrades to tracks and signals.
In 2024, the federal government allocated $472.3 million for the project from National Infrastructure Project Assistance program, or MEGA, as part of the Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant program. The first portion, encompassing approximately $283 million, has already been collected and the remaining $189 million is “in process,” Interim Transportation Secretary and MBTA General Manager Phil Eng said.
The project is currently in procurement and contractor selection is pending, according to Healey’s office.
Unions Cheer PLA Deal
Healey delivered the announcement flanked by people holding signs with several different messages including “Protect Labor Agreements, Support Local Families” and “Build on-time, Build on-budget, Build with PLAs.”
”When we talk about project labor agreements, it’s important to know that project labor agreements do more than just deliver projects on time and on budget. They deliver real economic opportunity to people and families in our communities,” said Chaton Greene, Greater Boston Building Trades business agent. ”Project labor agreements, in a world of ups and downs and unplanned surprises, means certainty. It means stability.”
The agreement establishes consistent wages, safety standards and working conditions for both contractors and subcontractors, Healey’s office said in a press release. The agreement doesn’t prevent non-union contractors from bidding and all qualified firms may compete for the work, according to Healey’s office.
“We want to find ways to work with you, to support you because we know that through high skilled union jobs and the work that you do we’re going to get a better product. We’re going to get a better result for the people of this state,” said Healey, who is running for reelection this year. “You show what’s possible.”
Jason Kauppi, president of Merit Construction Alliance, a trade association representing nonunion construction contractors, said PLAs can reduce competition and in turn, lead to higher prices. He also said any nonunion contractors working on the project could be required to use “unknown” union workers under the project labor agreement.
“The only purpose of a PLA is to create a monopoly for organized labor and eliminate the competition to union contractors,” Kauppi said in a statement.
He also pointed to the alliance’s analysis of data from Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance, or DCAMM, and the Division of Apprenticeship Standards that showed most minority and women-owned businesses certified by DCAMM are nonunion.
The News Service requested the project labor agreement but it had not been provided as of publication time.
