Bourne Bridge Travelers Warned To Expect Traffic Delays Starting May 1

BOURNE (CBS) -- Attention Cape Cod travelers: Repair work is finishing up on the Sagamore Bridge and construction crews will move over to the Bourne Bridge soon. That means drivers heading across the Cape Cod Canal via the Bourne Bridge should expect delays in the near future.

The Sagamore Bridge work is expected to finish by Sunday, at which point all lanes will reopen. Work to repair structural steel supports and bridge lighting on the Bourne Bridge will start May 1.

Instead of two lanes in each direction, there will be a single 12-foot lane going each way for 24 hours a day during the repair work. The repairs will finish before the busy Memorial Day weekend.

"Motorists planning to use the Bourne Bridge during this timeframe should be aware that travel delays are likely to occur during the morning and afternoon peak travel periods each day," the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said in a statement. "We understand the impact that bridge repairs have to the residents, visitors and businesses in the Cape Cod region and work hard to ensure it's done in a safe and timely manner."

The Bourne Bridge repairs were supposed to happen in the fall, but crews expect to finish their Sagamore Bridge work ahead of schedule. All lanes will stay open on the Sagamore during the Bourne bridge repair work.

Both the Sagamore and Bourne bridges are more than 80 years old and have been deemed structurally deficient. A $1 billion project to replace the bridges could start in 2025 at the earliest.