Cape & Islands News

USACE wakes up to the bridge problem

Sagamore Bridge work for next three weekends changed, lanes added
Millions in Cape "Shoulder Season" business lost due to delays

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will continue its deck repairs and paving on the Sagamore Bridge spanning the Cape Cod Canal in Bourne, but will adjust the work schedule for the next three weekends to allow extra traffic lanes to help reduce traffic congestion on Cape Cod.

A second lane of travel off of Cape Cod will be in effect from Sunday, Sept. 27 at 11 a.m. through Monday, Sept. 28 at 10 a.m. and again the following weekend from Sunday, Oct. 4 at 11 a.m. to Monday, Oct. 5 at 10 a.m.

Work on the bridge started on Monday, Sept. 14, 2009 and the immediate negative effect on Cape Cod's business due heated reactions which were finally heard in Washington. Additional message boards have been activated on highway approaches to the Sagamore and Bourne Bridges, alerting motorists of the Sagamore Bridge work.

Better late than never

A second lane of travel off of Cape Cod will be in effect from Sunday, Sept. 27 at 11 a.m. through Monday, Sept. 28 at 10 a.m. and again the following weekend from Sunday, Oct. 4 at 11 a.m. to Monday, Oct. 5 at 10 a.m. One lane of travel onto Cape Cod will remain in place during this time.

For the Columbus Day holiday weekend, a second lane of travel onto Cape Cod will be added starting on Friday, Oct. 9 at 2 p.m. continuing through Saturday until Sunday, Oct. 11 at 5 a.m. There will continue to be one lane of travel off of Cape Cod during this period. A second lane of travel off of Cape Cod will be in effect from Sunday, Oct. 11 at 11 a.m. through Columbus Day on Monday until Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 10 a.m. One lane of travel onto Cape Cod will remain in place during this time.

These traffic lane adjustments will require use of the work area to create a second lane of travel, and will result in no work being performed on the Sagamore Bridge during these periods. Substantial effort is being made to create safe passage for these travel lane adjustments onto and off Cape Cod. Work will resume seven days a week beginning Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 10 a.m.

Work on the Sagamore Bridge is scheduled to continue, weather permitting, until about late November 2009 at which time the Sagamore Bridge will be fully reopened to traffic (two lanes in both directions) through the winter. In the spring of 2010, work will resume on the Sagamore Bridge and require lane restrictions (one lane in each direction) again until late spring of 2010.

These work adjustments to allow for more lane traffic for the next three weeks will have an impact on the work schedule and will likely push the project into a third season, requiring bridge work in the fall of 2010. Completion of the deck repairs is critical to maintaining the integrity of the bridge, which is a vital component of the transportation system for the Cape, Islands and southeastern Massachusetts.