Complete Regional Transportation Plan 2012 - Cape Cod ...

Responsibility for the Cape Cod Canal was passed to the Army Corps of Engineers, whosubsequently set out to improve it. The Corps began construction on an expanded canalin 1935 and completed the work by 1940. The existing canal is the result of this work.The current Cape Cod Canal has a width of 480 feet and a 32-foot deep channel, allowingtwo-way travel. At that size, the Cape Cod Canal is the world’s widest sea-level canal.The old canal drawbridges were replaced in 1935 by the Bourne, Sagamore, and Railroadbridges. The architect Ralph Adams Cram designed the Sagamore and Bourne bridges.Built simultaneously with Work Progress Administration funds, construction providedabout 700 jobs. The existing bridges have larger spans of 616 feet each and provide anoverhead clearance of 135 feet. A 32-foot deep approach channel was also constructed tofacilitate movement of ships from Buzzards Bay into the canal. The channel is 700 feetwide from Cleveland Ledge to Wings Neck and 500 feet from Wings Neck to the canalentrance. Other improvements to the canal include two mooring basins, two basins forsmall boats, an improved lighting system, a 600-foot and a 3,000-foot stone jetty at theentrance to canal from Cape Cod Bay, and a dike between Hog Island and Rocky Point inBourne.The Army Corps of Engineers continues to operate and maintain the Canal and itsbridges today. The highway bridges now carry over 34 million vehicles to and from theisthmus of Cape Cod annually. Over six thousand ships, tug and barge combinations andother large commercial vessels pass through the canal annually. In 2009 they carriedover 8 million tons of cargo to ports along the east coast including 1.9 billion gallons ofpetroleum products and 380 million gallons of bio fuels. Marine traffic is monitored andregulated 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Moreover, Corps patrol boats stand by toassist vessels in distress. As a result, the Cape Cod Canal is a safe shortcut for marinetraffic from Cape Cod Bay to Buzzards Bay. Recreational boaters take advantage of thisfact as well with over seven thousand small boat canal transits each year.FIGURE 18: A SMALL BOAT TRAVELS THROUGHTHE CAPE COD CANALFIGURE 19: CAPE COD CANAL ANDRAILROAD BRIDGE IN THE DISTANCE,FACING WESTCape Cod Regional Transportation Plan | August 2011Chapter 2.5: Water TransportationPage 197