Massachusetts is taking final bids from three teams to design and build a new Sagamore Bridge, with $956 million in federal money authorized and another $371 million expected. The state plans to pick a contractor by summer 2027.
Early work is already under way. Crews are drilling test shafts up to 165 feet deep on both sides of the Cape Cod Canal to guide the foundation design, and Bourne voters agreed in October to hand the state land for the project. The first new span is targeted to open in 2033.
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 in Mega funds was expected in October.
$2.13B
Project cost estimate
Figure from MassDOT's October 2026 Barnstable presentation; published estimates range from $1.6 billion to $2.5 billion.
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.
165 ft
Depth of foundation test shafts
Drilled to bedrock on both sides of the canal to inform the new bridge's foundation design.
2033
Target year for first new span opening
All traffic then moves to the new eastbound span while the old bridge comes down.
16 events
Latest: November 3rd, 2026 · 1 week ago
Showing 8 of 16
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December 2033
First new eastbound span target opening
UpcomingConstruction
All traffic shifts to the new span; old bridge demolished and westbound span built.
January 2028
Construction start planned for winter 2027-2028
UpcomingConstruction
Site work expected to become visible in early 2028, with two lanes per direction maintained.
December 2027
Notice to proceed expected
UpcomingProcurement
MassDOT aims to finish contract negotiations and issue notice to proceed by year-end.
July 2027
Public bid opening scheduled
UpcomingProcurement
Prices made public as MassDOT prepares to select a contractor.
May 2027
Technical and price proposals due
UpcomingProcurement
Three design-build teams submit final bids to MassDOT.
November 2026
State proposes two new railroad crossings
LatestPlanning
MassDOT plans two railroad crossings on the south side of the Cape Cod Canal for pedestrians and cyclists, with a public hearing set for Nov. 4 in Bourne.
October 2026
Bourne approves land donation for bridge project
Government
Voters at a special town meeting agree to give the state land for the new Sagamore Bridge after debate over the terms.
Additional $371 million authorization expected
Funding
FHWA expected to approve further Bridge Investment Program grant funds.
September 2026
Healey announces $956 million funding authorization
Funding
Governor confirms federal funding and final procurement phase; $371 million more expected in October.
Request for proposals released
Procurement
MassDOT invites three qualified teams to submit design-build bids for the new bridge.
June 2026
FHWA issues Record of Decision
Regulatory
Federal environmental review completes, clearing the way for procurement.
May 2026
MassDOT issues request for qualifications
Procurement
Narrows the field of firms seeking to design and build the bridge.
Foundation test drilling begins
Construction
East Coast Slurry starts drilling test shafts on the mainland side of the Cape Cod Canal, reaching about 165 feet to bedrock. A third test pile is planned on the Cape side.
March 2026
MassDOT issues request for letters of interest
Procurement
Begins the procurement process for a design-build team for the new Sagamore Bridge.
November 2022
Bipartisan infrastructure law signed
Policy
Biden signs the law creating the Bridge Investment Program that funds the replacement.
June 1935
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.
1 of 3
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.
2 of 3
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.
3 of 3
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.
