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Cape Cod Canal |
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The man-made maritime short-cut between Boston and New York was built to the delight of 20th-century ship captains and the consternation of 21st-century motorists. |
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For centuries, mariners sailing between Boston and ports to the south had to circumnavigate Cape Cod, a long and tedious voyage. In 1909, the US government undertook construction of the Cape Cod Canal, a broad waterway connecting Cape Cod Bay and Buzzards Bay. By 1914 the new maritime road was open, and ships could sail (or steam) from Boston to New Bedford, Providence, New London and New York in far less time, in far greater safety. During the 1930s, the government built the two graceful bridges across the canal at Sagamore to the northeast and Bourne to the southwest, and the project was complete. Within a few decades, the canal was far less important, as the bulk of coastal transport was taken over by cars and trucks on modern highways, and airplanes in the sky above. However, vehicular traffic to Cape Cod during the busy summer tourist season has increased to the point where the two 1930s bridges, carrying only two lanes each, are woefully inadequate to meet the demands of the flood of cars. You can wait a frustratingly long time to cross the bridge at heavy-traffic times (Friday evening and Saturday morning going onto the cape, Sunday evening going off the cape). Local wags even joke about the Cape Cod Canal Tunnel, a mythical engineering feat that will alleviate all their traffic woes. No such tunnel has been built, nor is it likely to be. Today the Cape Cod Canal is a convenience for recreational boaters, a short cut for some larger ships, and a beautiful man-made waterway with several small parks along its banks, perfect for enjoying a picnic on a summer evening, and sunset views. |
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Above, the Cape Cod Canal looking northeast to Sagamore Bridge from a park on US 6. Below, a "permit" for they mythical Cape Cod Canal Tunnel.
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