Bridge the Gap is a new podcast series presented by the Cape Cod Chamber and the Cape & Islands Bridges Coalition. This series will share information and insights related to the planned replacement of the Sagamore and Bourne Bridges, highlighting the critical role that these two bridges play in the regional economy of Cape Cod, and for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The Sagamore and Bourne Bridges provide the sole roadway connection points for Cape Cod’s fifteen municipalities, a year-round population of 225,000 residents, nearly 10,000 visitors, and an estimated 5 million visitors per year. At nearly 90 years old, the bridges are functionally obsolete and are at the end of their serviceable lifespan. If not replaced, the bridges will require major rehabilitation work, resulting in lengthy closures that could devastate Cape Cod’s regional economy.
This potential economic fallout has aroused such tremendous concern that, in 2024, the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce led the formation of the Cape & Islands Bridges Coalition (CIBC), a group of representatives from nearly 50 business and community organizations, spanning Cape Cod, the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, the South Shore, and Greater Boston. The CIBC was formed to ensure that both the Sagamore and Bourne Bridges are replaced in a timely and fiscally responsible manner, while minimizing adverse impacts on the regional economy.