Public hearing invites comment on Route 28 bridge replacement, intersection projects

Asad Jung, Cape Cod Times
·2 min read

SOUTH YARMOUTH — The state Department of Transportation will hold a public hearing Jan. 13 on its plans to replace Bass River Bridge on Route 28 and to improve the nearby intersection of Route 28 at North Main and Old Main streets.

The virtual hearing is scheduled from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., and can be accessed at mass.gov/massdot-highway-design-public-hearings.

MassDOT officials will review construction plans, scheduling and community impact. Time will be set aside for questions and comments.

Bass River Bridge, built in 1935, connects West Dennis and South Yarmouth. It is one of five bridges on Cape Cod categorized as “structurally deficient” by the Federal Highway Administration, according to a database of bridge inspections by the agency. About 46% of the Cape's bridges are categorized as "needs repair or corrective action" — compared with 26% statewide.

Crumbling concrete and exposed rebar are visible under a section of Bass River Bridge in a Nov. 17 photo. The state Department of Transportation says the bridge, opened in 1935, is "reaching the end of its useful lifespan and must be replaced."
Crumbling concrete and exposed rebar are visible under a section of Bass River Bridge in a Nov. 17 photo. The state Department of Transportation says the bridge, opened in 1935, is "reaching the end of its useful lifespan and must be replaced."

The underside of the bridge reveals broken concrete and visible rebar. On the bed of the bridge, rusted metal pokes up from the sidewalk.

"As one of only three crossings of the Bass River, the bridge carries significant traffic during the summer tourist season and provides an important link year-round between the towns east of the river and Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis. The bridge, though safe for all users, is reaching the end of its useful lifespan and must be replaced," MassDOT says in a statement on its website.

Under the proposal, MassDOT would widen the bridge deck, maintain 15-foot vertical clearance and lengthen the distance between the support piers.

The bridge will be wide enough for two travel lanes and shoulders in each direction, a sidewalk on the northern side and a shared-use path on the southern side, according to MassDOT.

An aerial view of Bass River Bridge, a much-used structrure that spans Bass River on Route 28 and connects West Dennis and South Yarmouth.
An aerial view of Bass River Bridge, a much-used structrure that spans Bass River on Route 28 and connects West Dennis and South Yarmouth.

At the intersection where Route 28 crosses North Main and Old Main, plans call for a dedicated right turn lane on Old Main Street's northbound approach, making the intersection and roads accommodating to different kinds of traffic and having sidewalks comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. MassDOT also would add pavement markings, install signs and upgrade traffic signals and the roadway drainage system.

The bridge replacement cost is estimated at $17 million, according to MassDOT. Estimated costs for the intersection upgrades are not available.

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: MassDOT sets public hearing on Bass River Bridge rebuild