News Release

Bunker Hill Site Repairs

Date: February 26, 2015

The National Park Service has awarded a $742,000 contract under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to Phoenix Bay State Construction Company, Inc., a general contracting company based in Boston, Massachusetts.

The company will stabilize all four sets of stairs that lead to the Bunker Hill Monument with new drainage systems and appropriate foundations to prevent the loss of historic fabric and correct potential safety hazards and environmental impacts from sedimentation, according to David R. Brouillette, Boston National Historical Park Acting Superintendent.

The granite stairways, a major feature of the historic landscape of the Bunker Hill Monument, sit upon piers that have deteriorated due to poor drainage. This project will repair all of the piers, improve drainage adjacent to and under the stairways, and regrout and reseal joints in the stairways.

In addition, all disturbed walkway paving will be restored and the stairway handrails will be sandblasted, galvanized, and painted.

“These improvements will allow the National Park Service to provide better service to the millions of visitors to Boston National Historical Park each year. In addition to creating local jobs, this project supports the tourism industry that is so important to the economic vitality of this community,” Mr. Brouillette said.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds are part of a stimulus package that is an important component of President Obama’s plan to jumpstart the economy and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so the country can thrive in the 21st century. Under the ARRA, the Department of the Interior is making an investment in conserving America's timeless treasures – our stunning natural landscapes, our monuments to liberty, the icons of our culture and heritage – while helping American families and their communities prosper again. Interior is also focusing on renewable energy projects, the needs of American Indians, employing youth and promoting community service.

“With its investments of Recovery Act funds, the Department of the Interior and its bureaus are putting people to work today to make improvements that will benefit the environment and the region for many years to come,” Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said.

Secretary Salazar has pledged unprecedented levels of transparency and accountability in the implementation of the Department’s economic recovery projects. The public will be able to follow the progress of each project on www.recovery.gov and on www.interior.gov/recovery.

Secretary Salazar has appointed a Senior Advisor for Economic Recovery, Chris Henderson , and an Interior Economic Recovery Task Force to work closely with Interior’s Inspector General and ensure that the recovery program is meeting the high standards for accountability, responsibility, and transparency set by President Obama.