BOURNE – At this month’s meeting of the Cape & Islands Bridges Coalition (CIBC), nearly 50 business and community leaders pushed for renewed efforts to replace the aging Sagamore and Bourne Bridges.
They pointed to a recent study by the Cape Cod Commission that warned that an unplanned closure of either the Sagamore or Bourne Bridge could lead to over 55,000 workers being unable to commute, $1.4 billion in lost tourism revenue and a $254 million hit to tax revenue.
While funding has been identified for the Sagamore Bridge, no funding exists yet for the Bourne Bridge.
The CIBC was formed in early 2024, under the leadership of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, to address business and community concerns related to routine bridge maintenance and the replacement.
“If not replaced, the bridges will soon require major rehabilitation work, leading to months-long lane restrictions and bridge closures. A complete closure of either bridge would result in unprecedented impacts to the regional economy and way of life on Cape Cod and the Islands,” said CIBC officials in a statement.
A poll by CIBC says 86 percent of respondents support the bridge replacement project.
The bridges, considered functionally obsolete and structurally deficient, handle 38 million vehicle crossings annually and are the only access points for over 230,000 residents and thousands of businesses.
About Grady Culhane
