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MassDOT outlines timeline, property impacts for Sagamore and Bourne bridge replacements
Summary
MassDOT told Nantucket officials that the Sagamore Bridge project is fully funded and construction will begin in 2027, with the first new span open to traffic by 2033; the program includes major interchange rebuilds, pedestrian and bicycle facilities and planned acquisitions of private property to accommodate the new twin-span bridges.
Massachusetts Department of Transportation officials presented an update to the Nantucket Select Board and the Nantucket Planning and Economic Development Commission on Jan. 28 about the Cape Cod bridges replacement program, saying it will replace the nearly 90-year-old Sagamore and Bourne bridges with twin spans and rebuilt interchanges.
A MassDOT presenter said the Sagamore Bridge is fully funded through a combination of USDOT grants, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers funds and a state commitment; work on Sagamore is scheduled to begin with a contractor notice to proceed in 2027 and the agency expects the first new span to carry traffic as early as 2033. MassDOT is pursuing additional federal grant funds for the Bourne Bridge and plans to follow Bourne’s work roughly a year after Sagamore, funding dependent.
The project will produce twin-span bridges with separated opposing lanes, wider travel lanes (about 12 feet), full shoulders and a minimum 14-foot bicycle/pedestrian path, the presenter said. MassDOT also plans nine miles of pedestrian and bicycle facilities and full reconstruction of the four connecting interchanges, which the agency said should better separate local and regional traffic and reduce queueing at peak times.
Officials described the environmental review timetable and near-term steps: a draft Environmental Impact Statement has been filed and public comment is under review, with a federal Record of Decision anticipated by late spring or early summer. That milestone, the presenter said, would allow the agency to begin formal procurement and request obligation of roughly $1.2 billion in federal grant funds to move the Bourne segment toward construction.
MassDOT described right-of-way impacts, saying it anticipates property acquisitions to accommodate the larger structures and interchanges. The presenter said acquisitions will include a mix of full takings, partial takings and easements; in public remarks the agency noted approximately 13 residential homes and multiple commercial properties had been identified among needed acquisitions and said federal and state eminent-domain and appraisal processes will govern compensation and relocation assistance.
The presenter warned residents to expect preparatory fieldwork, including soil borings and foundation load testing beginning this spring, which may involve loud, visible work in the corridor. The agency emphasized procurement steps this year: industry briefings, requests for letters of interest and qualifications, and a future request for proposals to select a design-build team.
Commissioners and residents asked about capacity, traffic queuing, and local-road impacts. MassDOT responded that lane counts will remain similar but lanes will be wider with merging lanes and improved interchange geometry to reduce collisions and better separate local trips from regional traffic. The presenter said construction will use accelerated bridge-construction techniques, including floating completed spans into place when appropriate.
The presentation noted the bridges are federally owned assets operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and that MassDOT will assume ownership and operation of the new bridges after construction. The agency said it is coordinating regular public outreach, quarterly forums and meetings with municipal leaders, and invited local stakeholders to share contacts and concerns.
