MPO staff reports progress on Cape Cod Canal Bridges funding; EIS Notice issued and public comment open

MPO staff provided a status update on the Cape Cod Canal Bridges program, reporting recent milestones on funding, permitting and outreach.

Steve (Cape Cod Commission staff) summarized a multi-source funding package that the project team is assembling. He said the Commonwealth has committed $350 million toward phase 1 of the Sagamore Bridge replacement and noted recent federal-level actions, including a large grant award the region pursued and a Bridge Investment Program application prepared by MassDOT and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that could supply additional federal funds. Staff emphasized that permitting and outreach work are proceeding for both bridges in parallel, even as initial funding and permitting focus on Sagamore.

On permitting, staff said a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Cape Cod Canal Bridges Program was filed and published in the Federal Register on Feb. 29; the public comment period for that notice runs through April 1 and the federal docket contains the scoping materials. Steve also noted an updated agreement between MassDOT and the Army Corps that clarifies roles, responsibilities and some funding commitments pending congressional appropriation.

Staff outlined upcoming public participation opportunities: another advisory-group meeting in April and both a virtual public meeting and an in-person open house over the coming months where residents can review materials, ask questions and provide feedback. Steve encouraged stakeholders to monitor the project web page (mass.gov/cape-bridges or the project page on MassDOT’s site) and confirmed MassDOT will post presentations and meeting summaries from advisory-group meetings.

Public comment: John York urged the project team to revisit its public information plan because published expectations (quarterly virtual meetings) and actual outreach cadence had diverged; he requested earlier agendas and more advance notice to allow town boards to coordinate input under Open Meeting Law schedules.

Next steps: staff will continue coordination with MassDOT and the Army Corps, post advisory-group materials, and schedule the upcoming virtual meeting and open house. The EIS scoping comment period is the immediate procedural milestone for public input.