New maps and renderings unveiled last night show how detours on the Cape Cod Canal bike path will keep the path safe and accessible during construction of the new Sagamore Bridge.
Project staff from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, along with consulting engineers, discussed the $2.1 billion bridge project at Bourne High School.
The bike path, also called Canal Service Road, will be routed around construction on both sides of the canal.
Work to replace the bridge with twin spans — one in each direction — is expected to take nearly 10 years, though traffic from the old bridge will be re-routed to one of the spans in half the time.
On the Cape Cod side of the Sagamore Bridge, the bike path will take a detour from Keith Field to Sandwich Road and then reconnect to the main path near the Mid-Cape Connector. On the mainland side, the detour will run along Canal Street and Scenic Highway to the Herring Run Recreation Area.
Bourne residents, and especially Conservation Commission chair Robert Gray, helped the state understand the need to maintain access to the bike path, said Luisa Paiewonsky, executive director of the Megaprojects Delivery Office.
“We weren't aware of how important that stretch of Canal Service Road was to Bourne residents,” she said. “So, by coming here and hearing you out, that brought us to a … better conclusion.”
Project officials also showed renderings of how LED lighting will illuminate the bridge at night. The color of the lights can be changed to suit different occasions.
Mike Beintum, a consulting structural engineer with architectural firm HNTB, said the lighting will be appropriate for the setting.
“You'll notice we show some very soft accent lighting of the delta girders, the main arch … and the intent of this was to really match the location,” he said. “We're not in Boston; we're here in Bourne. … So we were focused on having a low-light type of aesthetic lighting to really match the local feature.”
Local residents raised concerns about traffic during construction. Transportation officials maintain that since the existing Sagamore Bridge and local roads will remain open, traffic should not be much worse than normal. But they said arrangements will be made to halt construction at a few peak travel times, such as around the Fourth of July.
Paiewonsky announced that the Sagamore Bridge project will include historical signs, public art, and a stone sign that says, “Welcome to Cape Cod.”
“We'll be, again, working with the town and with citizens in the area to develop art pieces that can be cast directly into the concrete on the bridges and the overpasses,” she said.
“So, we'll be asking the local artist community to help us. This is not one of our strengths, we will acknowledge. We can design a beautiful bridge, but the art on it is probably best left to others, people who are artists, and we will welcome any input from the artist community.”
From the audience, Phil Goddard of Monument Beach encouraged the state to use recycled materials in the project. With regard to historical and art elements, the Wampanoag people should be featured, he said.
“This area is a very sacred area to their history and their culture in this area, and should be included in any exhibits,” he said. He suggested including information about the Aptucxet Trading Post as well, adding, “I think this is a wonderful opportunity to talk about the whole history of Bourne.”
Anne-Marie Siroonian, vice chair of the Bourne Select Board, asked the department to leave Bourne “better than OK” at the end of the project. She said residents have concerns about traffic; access for emergency vehicles; noise, dust, and vibration; environmental and coastal effects; and ensuring uninterrupted access to local businesses and tourist attractions.
“Have you thought about not having deliveries during peak hours, especially that two-and-a-half hour block of time in the morning and afternoon, getting our students to school?” she asked. “There will be no tardies on their record of attendance.”
But she also praised the department’s work so far.
“We commend you for the task that you have accepted, in bringing this vitally important lifeline to life, for Cape Cod and all the many visitors that love to come here,” she said.
The state is in the process of hiring a contractor.
Construction of the Sagamore Bridge is scheduled to start in late 2027 or early 2028.
Planning and permitting for the Bourne Bridge is ongoing, but the Bourne has not been funded.
