The Town of Groton won’t have to pay for the planned replacement of the Groton Long Point Road Bridge over Palmer’s Cove, saving about $1.7 million in town funds, according to town and state officials. The town originally had anticipated it would participate in a program in which it would have to pay 20% of the estimated $8.4 million cost to replace the bridge. But the town recently was accepted into a newer program in which the town would not have to pay anything toward the project cost, according to town officials. The Town Council Committee of the Whole on Tuesday recommended moving forward with the funding program, with the full council slated to take a final vote to approve it at its Feb. 7 regular council meeting. Public Works Director Greg Hanover told councilors that under this new federal local bridge program, called the Design Managed by State Program, the state would take the project through design, permitting and rights of way acquisitions, and manage the contractor during construction. He said the town will still be involved in providing input throughout the design and construction phases and there will still be a public input component to the project.
https://www.theday.com/article/20230128/no-town-funds-needed-for-groton-long-point-road-bridge-replacement/