BOURNE, Mass. — The future of travel to and from Cape Cod, over brand-new bridges, will be the focus of a long-awaited meeting Tuesday night.
MassDOT is hosting the first of two virtual public meetings to give an update on the proposed project and take public comments.
That includes the types of new bridges under consideration and the next steps.
“The proposed program consists of replacement of the Bourne and Sagamore bridges, as well as improvements to the approach roadway networks to address the multimodal deficiencies within the Cape Cod Canal area,” according to a statement from MassDOT.
Identical in design, the Sagamore and Bourne Bridges first opened to traffic in 1935.
A report issued in 2019 by MassDOT found both spans were “substandard in several ways.”
“Travel-lane widths are too narrow, there are no roadway shoulders, and bicycle and pedestrian accommodations are minimal,” according to that report.
The MassDOT report in 2019 indicated that both replacement bridges would be built immediately adjacent to and inside of the existing Bridges, and could be much larger than they are now.
Both the Sagamore and Bourne bridges are 48 feet wide, with four traffic lanes and a single five foot wide sidewalk.
MsssDOT has indicated that replacement bridges would be “multimodal structures designed to current MassDOT highway design standards and policies”
“Specifically, a bridge with a much wider cross-section is envisioned to accommodate all users. This cross-section could be up to 138 feet wide, including two 12-foot lanes in each direction and a single 12-foot auxiliary traffic lane in each direction. These lanes would be separated by a 10-foot wide median. Bicyclists and pedestrians could cross the bridge on a 12-foot wide shared-use path on one side of the bridge with a six-foot wide pedestrian sidewalk on the other side of the bridge.”
The cost of the project has been pegged at $4 billion.
A separate report from the Corps of Engineers in 2020 said if the bridges aren’t replaced within five years or so, one of the spans will have to be completely closed for 18 months for maintenance. according to the Associated Press.
People interested in learning more about the project can register in advance for the public meeting on Tuesday night.
There will be a second public information meeting on Thursday, November 17th.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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