The Sagamore Bridge is getting a once-over as part of a regular inspection.
Along with the neighboring Bourne Bridge, the Sagamore is one of the two roadways connecting Cape Cod with the rest of Massachusetts. Both are now 90 years old.
The project to replace them is underway, but their completion is still a number of years away.
“They’re closing traffic down all the time to repairs, and it’s time for a new bridge,” one man said.
“Since the last time they worked on it, it’s kind of bumpy going over, but I feel safe going over,” another man said.
The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers manages the bridges. The state’s working to replace and take control of the aging structures, which are deemed to be functionally obsolete.
“We do consider the bridges to be safe,” said Luisa Paiewonsky, executive director of Megaprojects at the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. “They are nearing the end of their useful lives, they’re 90 years old, and it is getting to be a time to replace them.”
The state has secured $2.3 billion to rebuild the Sagamore Bridge. The funding for the Bourne Bridge under the Trump administration is still a big question mark. Both bridges are expected cost about $4.5 billion.
“There’s a lot of competition for these funds, all across the country. We put together the best case we could. We think we have strong justification,” Paiewonsky said.
The new bridges will include two travel lanes in both directions, as well as pathways for pedestrians and bikes.
Eminent domain notices have gone out to more than a dozen property owners around the Sagamore Bridge.
Construction is expected to start in the next two years.