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Sagamore Bridge replacement enters final bidding after $956 million federal commitment

Sagamore Bridge replacement enters final bidding after $956 million federal commitment

Built World

MassDOT seeks a design-build team for the 91-year-old crossing, the first phase of the Cape Cod Bridges Program

2 days ago: Healey announces $956 million funding authorization

Overview

Updated 2 hours ago

Massachusetts has moved the replacement of the 91-year-old Sagamore Bridge into its final bidding phase. The state released a request for proposals for a design-build team and locked in authorization for $956 million in federal funding, with another $371 million expected in mid-October.

The Sagamore and Bourne bridges are the only road connections between Cape Cod and mainland Massachusetts, serving about 230,000 year-round residents and more than five million annual visitors. The first new span is expected to open around 2033, when all traffic shifts to it while the old bridge is demolished.

Why it matters

The Sagamore is one of only two road links between Cape Cod and the mainland; this funding and bidding step sets the first firm construction timeline in decades.

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Key Indicators

$956M
Federal funding authorized for Sagamore replacement
Bridge Investment Program grant; another $371 million is expected in October.
$1.6B
Preliminary project cost estimate
MassDOT filing figure; engineering press puts the full program higher.
91
Age of the Sagamore Bridge in years
Opened in 1935; one of only two road crossings to Cape Cod.
3
Design-build teams invited to bid
Selected through the qualification process earlier this year.
2033
Target year for first new span opening
All traffic then moves to the new eastbound span while the old bridge comes down.

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People Involved

Maura Healey
Maura Healey
Governor of Massachusetts
Announced the funding authorization and RFP release
RP
Richelle Paiewonsky
MassDOT Highway Division Administrator
Leads the Cape Cod Bridges Program

Organizations Involved

Massachusetts Department of Transportation
Massachusetts Department of Transportation
State agency
Leads the Cape Cod Bridges Program

The state agency managing the design, procurement, and construction of the new Sagamore Bridge.
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
Federal agency
Provides funding and oversight

The federal agency that issued the Record of Decision completing environmental review and channels Bridge Investment Program grant funds.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Federal agency
Owns the Sagamore and Bourne bridges

The Corps built both bridges in 1935 and still owns them; it partners with MassDOT on the replacement program.

Timeline

June 1935 December 2033

13 events Latest: 2 days ago Showing 8 of 13
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. First new eastbound span target opening

    Upcoming Construction

    All traffic shifts to the new span; old bridge demolished and westbound span built.

  2. Construction start planned for winter 2027-2028

    Upcoming Construction

    Site work expected to become visible in early 2028, with two lanes per direction maintained.

  3. Notice to proceed expected

    Upcoming Procurement

    MassDOT aims to finish contract negotiations and issue notice to proceed by year-end.

  4. Public bid opening scheduled

    Upcoming Procurement

    Prices made public as MassDOT prepares to select a contractor.

  5. Technical and price proposals due

    Upcoming Procurement

    Three design-build teams submit final bids to MassDOT.

  6. Additional $371 million authorization expected

    Upcoming Funding

    FHWA expected to approve further Bridge Investment Program grant funds.

  7. Healey announces $956 million funding authorization

    Latest Funding

    Governor confirms federal funding and final procurement phase; $371 million more expected in October.

  8. Request for proposals released

    Procurement

    MassDOT invites three qualified teams to submit design-build bids for the new bridge.

  9. FHWA issues Record of Decision

    Regulatory

    Federal environmental review completes, clearing the way for procurement.

  10. MassDOT issues request for qualifications

    Procurement

    Narrows the field of firms seeking to design and build the bridge.

  11. MassDOT issues request for letters of interest

    Procurement

    Begins the procurement process for a design-build team for the new Sagamore Bridge.

  12. Bipartisan infrastructure law signed

    Policy

    Biden signs the law creating the Bridge Investment Program that funds the replacement.

  13. Sagamore and Bourne bridges open

    Infrastructure

    Army Corps of Engineers opens both bridges over the Cape Cod Canal, the only road crossings since.

Scenarios

1

Sagamore Bridge construction begins on schedule in winter 2027

Likely Resolves by Q1 2028

Discussed by: MassDOT officials and Governor Healey's office

MassDOT selects a design-build team after bids open in July 2027, completes contract negotiations, and issues a notice to proceed by the end of 2027. Construction starts in winter 2027-2028, with the first eastbound span opening around 2033.

2

Bidding or funding delays push construction start to late 2028

Possible Resolves by Q2 2028

Discussed by: Project observers citing the scale of design-build procurement

Proposals slip past May 2027, or the October $371 million authorization faces federal review delays that push back contract signing. Construction start moves to late 2028, but the twin-span design keeps the opening target near 2033.

3

Bourne Bridge replacement wins its more than $1 billion federal grant

Possible Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: MassDOT and the US Army Corps of Engineers, joint applicants

FHWA rules on the Bourne Bridge application, which seeks over $1 billion in Bridge Investment Program funds. An award lets both bridge replacements move forward, with Bourne following the Sagamore once its funding is secured.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

June 1935

Cape Cod Canal bridges construction (1935)

The Army Corps of Engineers opened the Sagamore and Bourne bridges as part of the Cape Cod Canal expansion. They have remained the only road crossings between the Cape and the mainland ever since.

Then

The bridges transformed access to Cape Cod and fueled its growth as a year-round community and destination.

Now

Ninety-one years later, both are structurally deficient and beyond repair, triggering the current replacement program.

Why this matters now

The bridges' age and the absence of any alternative crossing explain why replacing them is a top Massachusetts priority.

1991-2007

Boston's Big Dig (1991-2007)

Boston's Central Artery/Tunnel project replaced the elevated I-93 highway with underground tunnels. Costs ballooned from an initial $2.8 billion estimate to more than $14 billion, with years of delays and legal disputes.

Then

The highway opened in phases between 2003 and 2007 amid persistent overruns.

Now

Became a national cautionary tale for megaproject cost control, pushing agencies toward fixed-price contracts.

Why this matters now

Massachusetts is using design-build to fix scope and price before construction; the Big Dig shows the cost risk without it.

2013-2018

Tappan Zee Bridge replacement (2013-2018)

New York replaced its 58-year-old Tappan Zee across the Hudson River with twin cable-stayed spans using a design-build contract. The roughly $4 billion project kept traffic moving throughout and opened the first span in August 2017, ahead of schedule.

Then

Both spans opened by 2018, with the old bridge demolished and removed from the river.

Now

Set the model for twin-span design-build replacement of a heavily used crossing without halting traffic.

Why this matters now

The Sagamore project uses the same approach — twin spans, design-build, and maintained traffic — with a similar timeline from award to first opening.

Sources

(11)
+5
Construction Review Barnstable County Boston.com Cape Cod Commission Boston Globe Boston 25 News Cape News Engineering News-Record WJAR Banker & Tradesman Mass.gov