Cape Cod Bridges Need To Be Replaced: Study

BOURNE, MA — The Sagamore and Bourne bridges, which are the only ways to cross the Cape Cod Canal by car, should be replaced, according to recommendations from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The recommendation comes after several years filled with public hearings and studies to try to find the best way to deal with traffic problems coming to and from the Cape.

The new bridges will include four travel lanes, two auxiliary lanes designed as acceleration/deceleration lanes and paths for bikes and pedestrians.

"This study has determined that providing two new highway bridges would be the most cost effective means of providing safe and reliable crossings," the report read. "The existing bridges are 85-years-old and are functionally obsolete."

U.S. Army Corps officials estimated the cost to replace the two bridges to be about $1.1 billion. Other options considered included building a third and adding additional traffic lanes to both bridges.

According to the study, adding a third bridge was eliminated because of cost and impact to traffic. Simply adding additional lanes was also ruled out because it wouldn't generate enough progress without also improving the highway capacity on both sides of the canal, the report said.

The report is in draft form and will undergo five public meetings before the project is finalized. If anyone wants to provide feedback, here's the meeting schedule.

• Wednesday, Oct. 16 at Bourne High School auditorium, 75 Waterhouse Road, Bourne
• Thursday, Oct. 17, at Plymouth South High School Performing Arts Center, 490 Long Pond Road, Plymouth
• Monday, Oct. 21, at Thomas P. O'Neill Jr. Federal Building auditorium, 10 Causeway Street, Boston. Registration and open house at 1 p.m.; Meeting starts at 1:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, Oct. 22, at Nauset Regional High School auditorium, 100 Cable Road, Eastham
• Wednesday, Oct. 23, at Barnstable High School Performing Arts Center, 744 West Main Street, Hyannis

Read the full report here.