City receives $1.3M for bulkhead project

Jim Sullivan, The Daily News of Newburyport, Mass.
·3 min read

Jul. 27—NEWBURYPORT — The city announced it is preparing to go out to bid for phase two of its waterfront bulkhead repair project after receiving a $1.3 million grant Tuesday from the state Seaport Economic Council.

The 45-year-old waterfront bulkhead provides structural support for the boardwalk and Market Landing Park, while also serving as critical infrastructure between the central waterfront and the Merrimack River.

The city completed phase one of the bulkhead repair project in 2014 by making repairs to the transportation docks on the west side of the waterfront, as well as the fish pier on the east side.

Phase two of the project is expected to cost $5.3 million, including a contingency, and would repair and replace the bulkhead's corroding anchor bolts and breaking steel mooring piles, while also raising the concrete cap to address sea level rise.

The city has been on the lookout for additional funding for phase two of the bulkhead project and the $1.3 million state grant will soon be combined with additional federal funding to get the project out to bid to potential contractors by the end of the season.

The Seaport Economic Council assists Massachusetts' 78 coastal communities develop and improve local assets to facilitate economic growth.

Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito leads the Seaport Economic Council, which awarded over $10.7 million in grants Tuesday to seaside communities, including Beverly, Revere, Dartmouth and New Bedford. Newburyport, however, walked away with the largest award of the day.

Mayor Sean Reardon said in an email that the city should be able to proceed with the bulkhead repair project's initial work, thanks to the Seaport Economic Council and Economic Development Administration grants, and he hopes to be ready to bid the project out by the end of the summer.

The federal Economic Development Administration previously awarded the city $1.75 million for the bulkhead repair project through a competitive grant application.

U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Salem, secured $2.25 million for the bulkhead repair project in a congressional spending bill, which was signed into law earlier this year.

The mayor said the city is in a strong position to receive the additional $2.25 million from FEMA.

"We are starting the process now to prepare the bid and look forward to that advancing in the next few weeks," Reardon said.

The city submitted an application through the Federal Emergency Management Agency on June 24 through its predisaster mitigation award program to receive the $2.25 million and expects to hear back from the agency no later than Sept. 30, according to Mayoral Chief of Staff Andrew Levine.

The City Council has authorized bonding of up to $750,000 to provide potential matching, nonfederal funds for the federal grants.

Staff writer Jim Sullivan covers Newburyport for The Daily News. He can be reached via email at jsullivan@newburyportnews.com or by phone at 978-961-3145. Follow him on Twitter @ndnsully.

Staff writer Jim Sullivan covers Newburyport for The Daily News. He can be reached via email at jsullivan@newburyportnews.com or by phone at 978-961-3145. Follow him on Twitter @ndnsully.