Bourne Bridge

The Sagamore Bridge is a beautiful 2,384 foot long bridge in Bourne, Massachusetts. It carries Route 28 across the Cape Cod Canal, connecting Cape Cod with the mainland of Massachusetts. It is the more southern of two automobile canal crossings, the other being the Sagamore Bridge. 

The Public Works Administration began construction on the Bourne Bridge and its sister, the Sagamore Bridge, in 1933 for the United States Army Corps of Engineers. The Army Corps operates both the bridges and the canal to this day. Both bridges have a 616-foot main span with a 135-foot ship clearance and handle four lanes of traffic. On June 22, 1935, they opened to the public. The John Greenleaf Whittier Bridge, which connects I-95 from Newburyport to Amesbury, Massachusetts, was designed after the Sagamore and Bourne bridges.

The bridges replaced a drawbridge that had been constructed prior to the canal’s widening. Although both approaches are in low-traffic residential neighborhoods, the ancient bridge approaches may still be seen to the north of the present bridge.

Looking for more great spots to explore nearby? Check out the GoXplr Massachusetts Map at goxplr.com/map/massachusetts!

Bridge Specs

• Construction start: 1933
• Construction end: 1935
• Carries: Route 28
• Crosses: Cape Cod Canal
• Design/Style: Arch bridge with suspended deck
• Total length: 2,384 feet
• Total width: 45 feet
• Clearance below: 135 feet

Location

• Address: MA-28
• Town: Bourne
• State: Massachusetts
• GPS: Lat 41.74788 Lng -70.58961
• Parking notes: There are two dozen parking spots at the Bourne Recreation Area at the Cape Cod Canal. This parking lot is located essentially under the bridge. Visitors can also park in the Buzzards Bay Recreation Area lot and walk along the canal to the bridge.
• Parking directions: HERE
• Location directions: HERE