Third Bridge Buzz Growing; State Looks for Funding Partner

One of MassDOT's draft plans for a third crossing over the Cape Cod Canal would put the bridge about halfway between the two bridges.

One of MassDOT’s draft plans for a third crossing over the Cape Cod Canal would put the bridge about halfway between the two bridges.

SAGAMORE – Motorists could one day have a third option for traveling across the Cape Cod Canal, as the state Department of Transportation is beginning to take a serious look at building a new span.

The state does not have the money to finance the project, but they are looking into finding a private partner to fund the upfront cost of the bridge.

The payback for the developer and the funds from the upkeep of the bridge would come from tolls.

The Bourne Bridge over the Cape Cod Canal.

The Bourne Bridge over the Cape Cod Canal.

“The idea is to use private financing upfront and construct a bridge that would charge a toll, and we don’t have any toll rates set at this point, but the tolls would be used to recover the money for the initial investment that was put up up front to build the bridge in the first place,” said MassDOT Spokesman Michael Verseckes. “It’s a different means of financing a project like this.”

The new bridge would either be adjacent to the current Sagamore Bridge or it would be placed in the middle of the canal. If the bridge is constructed in the middle of the canal, the state would look into using land currently used by Joint Base Cape Cod to build a roadway to connect Route 6 to the new span.

The state will also explore the possibility of building a connector highway between Route 3 and Route 25. That road could be built under both bridge location scenarios.

MassDOT plans on asking for public input soon on the plan.



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