Vital Structures
When the Sagamore and Bourne bridges were built in 1933, they changed the relationship between the Cape and the rest of Massachusetts. They allowed for cars to travel, enabling Cape residents to access jobs on the mainland while simultaneously launching a new tourism industry. In many ways, the bridges are responsible for shaping the Cape that we know today. Visit the US Army Corps of Engineers New England District Website to read more about the Cape Cod Canal History.
Moving forward, the bridges must respond to today's needs and expectations, which includes being brought up to modern/standard code, improving travel operations, and accommodating alternate modes of travel, such as biking and walking.
The Bourne and the Sagamore bridges are vital to the economy of Cape Cod and the surrounding communities. Today, these bridges are nearly 90 years old, functionally obsolete, and no longer meet the needs of the traveling public, which prompted the following studies leading to the development of this Program.