BOURNE – Traffic restrictions on the Bourne Bridge were lifted ahead of schedule Wednesday morning after crews completed a major paving and maintenance project that had reduced traffic to one lane in each direction since late April.
According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, all four travel lanes on the bridge reopened early May 13 following the completion of overnight paving work. Crews remained on site Wednesday to remove cones, barrels and other traffic control devices from the shoulders and breakdown lanes with assistance from police details.
The project began April 27 and was originally expected to continue through May 20. The work included replacing the bridge’s pavement surface, repairing steel joints damaged by winter snowplows, and performing maintenance on roadway lights and drains.
During construction, the bridge was reduced from two lanes in each direction to a single 12-foot-wide lane each way around the clock, creating significant traffic backups during peak travel periods both on and off Cape Cod. Officials also temporarily closed the Bourne Bridge sidewalk for about a week while crews completed repairs adjacent to the pedestrian pathway.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had warned motorists to expect delays throughout the project and used signs, cones, message boards and police details to manage traffic through the work zone. No wide loads were permitted across the bridge while lane restrictions were in place.
Federal officials described the maintenance work as critical to preserving the structural integrity of the aging bridge and maintaining a reliable transportation link for Cape Cod, the Islands and southeastern Massachusetts.
The bridge project also comes as state and federal officials continue long-term planning efforts tied to the eventual replacement of the region’s canal bridges. Previous reports have indicated the Sagamore Bridge replacement project is expected to begin first, with the Bourne Bridge replacement planned for later phases.
