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MassDOT study recommends replacing Bourne and Sagamore bridges

BOURNE, Mass. — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation recently released the Cape Cod Canal Transportation Study, which recommends replacing both the Sagamore and Bourne bridges with two brand new structures.

Both bridges are 83 years old, exceeding their design life.

According to MassDOT, 66,000 vehicles travel over the Sagamore Bridge each day. By 2040 they expect that number to climb to over 93,000.

"Took me 35 minutes to get over the bridge this morning," said Dave Desrosiers of Carver. "If I leave at 5 today it’ll take me god knows how long."

Related: Bridge restrictions in Bourne to begin as repairs are made

The new bridges would be much larger than the current 48-foot-wide bridges. They'd be nearly triple the size with a total of six 12-foot-wide lanes, plus a shared-use path and six-foot sidewalk on either side with a 10-foot buffer.

"Twelve lanes or six lanes would be phenomenal," said Ed Lyndes, a Cape resident.

The new bridges would be built to the immediate west of the Sagamore Bridge and to the immediate east of the Bourne Bridge.

The study also recommends building a highway interchange to replace the Bourne rotary.

Jay Connelly owns American Lobster Mart located at the Bourne rotary.  As he gets ready to open for the season, he’s fearful a new interchange would hurt his business.

"It would affect us definitely because slow traffic makes it easy for people to get off to come and see our restaurant," Connelly said.

>>>MORE: Thousands sign petition in support of replacing Cape Cod bridges

It's estimated the new bridges would cost about $1 billion to build. Both are owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who will decide if they will be replaced or if they should be refurbished.

That study is expected to be finished this summer.