6 weeks of Sagamore hell for commuters

BOURNE, Mass. — To some, it is a historic structure, but to many these days, the Sagamore Bridge is commuter hell.

Since mid-April, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, through a contractor, has been repairing lights, conduits and steel structural elements of the nearly 90-year-old span. And that meant shrinking the Sagamore’s four lanes down to two.

“It’s one of those things that comes with living with the territory,” said Anthony Ferguson of Sagamore. “It definitely is a little frustrating. You just got to deal with it, time your trips right.”

Repairs to the Sagamore, and the resultant back-ups, are nothing new. But Ferguson said this year is especially bad for one reason.

“I think part of it has to do with the new light they put in,” he said. “It used to be a yield, now there’s a light there.”

Actually, there are two temporary lights. One across Route 6 heading to the mainland and another on a side road in front of the Christmas Tree Shop. The latter light has forced traffic to spill over to quiet, neighborhood side streets where vehicles can sit for substantial periods of time.

“This stinks man. We’ve been here for 25 minutes,” said John Smith, as he idled on one of those roads. “Traffic is unreal. I don’t know why they don’t do this at nighttime.”

>>>PREVIOUS: MassDOT study recommends replacing Bourne and Sagamore bridges

Others wondered why the Corps didn’t do it at another time of year. We asked the Corps that question but didn’t get a definitive answer. However, it’s well-known that bridges freeze before roadways, making winter work treacherous. And fall on the Cape is a busy season. And summer? Don’t even go there.

“I’m glad they’re getting it done before the summer, so we don’t have to deal with all that all year long,” said Olivia Barry of Bourne.

Actually, the plan is to wrap up the repair work before Memorial Day.

As for the long-term prospects of the Sagamore and equally old Bourne Bridge, four years ago, the Army Corps recommended they be replaced. Each came with a 50-year lifespan and the cost of repairs would, they estimated, become unreasonable, especially given the impracticality the bridges offer those coming on and off the Cape.

But while the Sagamore is old, it was rated in fair condition in 2017, unlike some bridges in Massachusetts. And unlike most bridges in the state, it gets lots of attention.

The Bourne, by the way, was rated lower that same year.

“I think that a new bridge is a necessity,” Ferguson said. “These bridges are outdated, and they do have to be rebuilt.”

Then he considered what that would look like.

“I think people should expect a lot worse traffic if we’re going to be doing a project of that magnitude,” he said.

Cox Media Group