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Bourne Planning Board members raise bridge traffic and school commute concerns, propose outreach to MassDOT and schools
Summary
Board members described recurring bridge congestion that delays student arrivals and proposed forming a small group with the superintendent, police, fire, DPW and MassDOT District 5 to assemble safety and mitigation suggestions for the next school year.
Members of the Bourne Planning Board used the meeting’s final agenda time to raise concerns about chronic traffic congestion around the Bourne bridges and the effect on school bus schedules and student attendance.
Several members described long delays on scenic routes and Cranberry Highway during recent bridge projects and flash floods that once left buses hours late. One board member said the traffic disruptions had on occasion delayed students by more than an hour and suggested the town coordinate with the superintendent and MassDOT to seek practical mitigation measures.
The board proposed forming a small working group — including representatives from the school superintendent’s office, police, fire, DPW, and MassDOT District 5 — to develop a short list of safety concerns and possible mitigations (timing adjustments, staging buses, temporary school drop‑off arrangements or other operational fixes) and to pursue coordinated outreach to state officials.
Why it matters: Bridge and state‑road work can materially affect local school schedules, emergency response times and daily commutes. Board members emphasized local operational knowledge and urged an aligned approach with state officials and school administrators before the next school year.
What’s next: The chair will reach out to the superintendent, police and MassDOT contacts to propose a short working group and to collect local suggestions for submission to District 5.
