Sagamore Bridge - History

History

The bridge, along with its sibling, the Bourne Bridge, was constructed beginning in 1933 by the Public Works Administration for the United States Army Corps of Engineers, which operates both the bridges and the canal. Both bridges carry four lanes of traffic over a 616-foot (188 m) main span, with a 135-foot (41 m) ship clearance, and opened on June 22, 1935. The design of the Sagamore and Bourne bridges was later copied in miniature for the John Greenleaf Whittier Bridge that connects Interstate 95 from Newburyport to Amesbury on Massachusetts' North Shore.

The bridge replaced an earlier, 1912 bridge, which was built as a drawbridge before the canal was widened. The original bridge approaches are still visible to the north of the modern bridge, though both approaches are in low-traffic residential areas.

In 2004, construction began to replace the rotary that connects US 6 and Route 3 to the bridge with a trumpet interchange (known as the "Sagamore Flyover"). The project was previously delayed for many years owing to controversy over the disruption of homes and businesses in the area. The project finally commenced because of the severe gridlock at the rotary, which was built to accommodate a much smaller resident and visitor population, and was the site of many traffic accidents over the years. The flyover was completed in late 2006.

The Army Corps of Engineers started a project in Fall 2009 that replaced the bridge deck and the sidewalk along with the lighting. The project was completed ahead of schedule in May 2010.