Auburn is hoping a $1 million grant will help offset the costs of its upcoming rehabilitation and upgrades to the Lake Ave bridge.
City Council voted on Thursday to apply for a grant from the Northern Border Regional Commission (NRBC). Established by Congress in 2008, the NRBC is a federal-state partnership for economic and community development in Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont.
The city is applying for a $1 million grant through the commission’s Catalyst Program for infrastructure repairs. The grant requires a 20% local match meaning, if awarded, the city’s comptroller would need to match the grant from the General Fund Bond Ordinance
Constructed in 1954, engineers estimate it will cost $8.9 million to make the necessary repairs and upgrades to the bridge to extend its life another 25 years.
The city has already received $4.9 million in Bridge NY funding for the project, meaning it currently has a $4 million funding gap it’s hoping to fill through additional grants.
The city is slated to open bidding for the project in December with the contract being awarded in January. From there construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2025 and end in December of the same year.
