$1 billion federal grant pushes project to rebuild the Sagamore Bridge forward

BOURNE, Mass. — It opened the summer Babe Ruth retired — and it’s been hanging in there ever since. Traffic first crossed the Sagamore Bridge in June 1935 — just two years after The American Bridge Company began construction of the span. On the same day, the Cape’s other link to the mainland, the Bourne Bridge, also opened.

Nearly 90 years later, the Sagamore’s retirement is finally within sight — thanks to the federal government.

Political leaders announced the awarding of a nearly $1 billion grant under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. That brings the total federal contribution for a new bridge to $1.7 billion — or 81% of the total project cost of $2.1 billion. The state will kick in the rest from funds previously allocated for the bridge project.

“We can say with certainty now that we have the funding that we need to move forward,” said Healey. “We’re going to rebuild the Sagamore Bridge.”

Healey said some preliminary work — including environmental studies — has already been done, but actual construction will likely begin in 2027 with completion eight to ten years later.

“And we’re going to make sure the traffic keeps moving throughout this entire construction by keeping the current Sagamore Bridge open,” she said.

The current Sagamore Bridge has been stretched beyond its limits. The first year it opened, about one million vehicles crossed the span, according to the Cape Cod Canal Bridges project. The group reports that in recent years the number is more like 38 million vehicles.

With two lanes on each side of the span, the Sagamore (and the Bourne) are a frequent source of headaches for Cape-bound vacationers — and for those trying to get back to the mainland.

“It needs to be much wider than it is,” said frequent Cape visitor Marilyn Meaney. “It’s terrible, especially at each end. It’s so hard in the summertime.”

“I’m not at all sad to see this bridge go,” said Fran Hall, another Cape visitor. “I’m hoping the new bridge will be better, wider. We desperately need a wider bridge with more lanes.”

A wider bridge is planned — though final design work won’t be completed until 2026. And though the Sagamore drips rust, State Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver said that for now, it’s safe — as is the Bourne Bridge.

“The Sagamore and Bourne are in a category that we would label structurally deficient,” said  Gulliver. “Which means that they’ve met the end of their useful life and they need a lot of heavy maintenance to keep them in that safe condition.”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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