'We need to do better.' Cape bridge traffic changes began Friday. Here's the plan.

Beginning on Friday, residential Adams Street will be closed with access only allowed for residents of that area.

The short, one-way street in the shadows of the Sagamore Bridge has recently been snarled with traffic, especially by the intersections with Sandwich Road and Cranberry Highway. The road allows drivers — in theory — to make two quick turns and begin their approach to the Sagamore Bridge, on their way to the mainland.

But since late March, the 88-year-old bridge − one of two bridges serving as the link for vehicles between Cape Cod and the mainland − is down to a single 12-foot-wide lane in each direction due to repairs. The street has become clogged with drivers looking to bypass the equally jammed Route 6 approach.

Sagamore residents trapped by traffic 'This was a mistake.' Snarled traffic with Sagamore Bridge repairs confound drivers

State Sen. Susan Moran said she’s canceled meetings twice due to getting caught in the gummed-up street.

“We’re Cape Codders, we’re used to this, we’ve been doing it for years, but we need to do it better,” said Moran in an interview. “We need more common sense solutions.”

The street, Westdale Park in Bourne will also be closed to all but local traffic.

According to Facebook post from the Bourne Police Department, all general traffic on Sandwich Road attempting to travel over the Sagamore Bridge will be sent to the signalized intersection at Ben Abbey Road. Officers will be on hand during this transition to help motorists.

Walking the Sagamore Bridge Photo Shoot: A heart-pounding walk on Sagamore Bridge to bring you a construction close-up

‘Current situation was untenable’

On Thursday afternoon, Moran orchestrated a meeting to focus on how to cut down on the traffic triggered by the repair work.

“It really became clear that the current situation was untenable,” said Moran.

Representatives from the Massachusetts State Police, state Department of Transportation, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the entire state delegation attended, as well as Bourne officials including from the police chief, town administrator, and Select Board members.

Moran represents the Plymouth and Barnstable District, which comprises the Cape Cod towns of Bourne, Falmouth, Sandwich and Mashpee.

Various navigation services will be notified about the change on Adams Street and a partial blockade will also be put in.

If the change on Adams Street does not work, Moran said officials will continue brainstorming.

"If it doesn't work, there could be another solution," said Moran.

Bridge traffic and real estate The unexpected way bridge traffic is changing how Cape Codders sell homes.

Improvements made to temporary stop light on Route 6

Officials also probed ways to improve the temporary stoplight installed to manage traffic heading off-Cape over the bridge. In two-minute intervals, the light halts traffic on Route 6 to allow those on the ramp to inch along and vice versa.

Staggering traffic helps prevent either local traffic or farther down Route 6 from becoming unfairly disadvantaged in terms of wait time. But the problem rises when there’s no reason for the light at all, she said.

“Sometimes, I come home late at night and I would be sitting there not moving because of a light when there was no traffic,” said Moran.

Moran also said she believes communication will become more streamlined and efficient.

'More immediate responses' to traffic and police officers stationed at problem spots

“There was good agreement with DOT and the Army Corps that we would be able to have central points of communication moving forward and more immediate responses and less stymieing based solely upon whose jurisdiction it was, whether it’s the State Police or Army Corps or DOT,” said Moran.

Officials would also like to station officers where commuters are having the most trouble, said Moran.

“We’re a tourism community and we sometimes have folks who are not familiar with daily traffic. That can be another element that we want to be sure we address with having some real-time direction going on where it can help,” said Moran.

Moran’s office said crews are aiming to have the bridge repairs completed by May 8, which would be ahead of schedule.

Zane Razzaq writes about housing and real estate. Reach her at zrazzaq@capecodonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @zanerazz.

Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Cape Cod Times subscription. Here are our subscription plans.

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Bourne: Travel changes to fix Route 6, Sagamore Bridge traffic