Feds Moving Forward with Replacement of Bourne and Sagamore Bridges

BOURNE, Mass. (AP) — Federal officials are moving forward with replacement of the bridges that connect Cape Cod to mainland Massachusetts.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Friday approved the final report on the project to replace the Bourne and Sagamore bridges with two new spans.

The agency says it must now design the bridges and determine how they’ll be financed.

The cost for the project is estimated at about $1 billion.

The current spans over the Cape Cod Canal are more than 80 years old.

The agency had determined it would be cheaper to replace the spans than rehabilitate the current ones.

The state’s congressional delegation praised the news, saying the bridges are critical to Cape Cod’s sustainability.

“The Bourne and Sagamore Bridges are vital parts of the Cape’s economy and way of life, and also serve as crucial evacuation routes should an emergency arise,” said Senator Ed Markey. 

“I have long believed that replacing both structures is the only viable long-term solution for the region.”

“The Cape Cod Canal bridges are critical arteries for the Cape’s economy, and I’m glad the Army Corps have affirmed what everyone in Massachusetts already knew – which is these 80-year-old bridges need to be replaced,” said Senator Elizabeth Warren.

“The replacement of the Bourne and Sagamore bridges is the most urgent infrastructure need in the Commonwealth,” said Congressman William Keating,” who lives on Cape Cod.

“This final assessment for replacement as opposed to maintenance of the bridges triggers $10 million in state funds from Secretary Pollack and the Baker Administration to do preliminary work on the project and sets the stage for the only adequate solution for the Cape and Islands,” Keating said.