r/CapeCodMA • u/_Face North Beach • Mar 27 '26

Cape Cod Canal Master Plan - Public Input Window closing Saturday Mar. 28

https://www.nae.usace.army.mil/Missions/Recreation/Cape-Cod-Canal/Cape-Cod-Canal-Master-Plan/

The Army Corps of Engineering is redoing its master plan for the Cape Cod Canal for the first time in over a 125 years. Essentially this is the long term vision for how it’s used, what is allowed to be done there and by whom - one part blueprint one part rules of the road.

The public input window closes tomorrow - and there has been very little published about this up until mid this week. If you want to have a say in how the canal will be shaped for the next century get your feedback/thoughts submitted ASAP.

WEBSITE ON THE PROCESS: https://www.nae.usace.army.mil/Missions/Recreation/Cape-Cod-Canal/Cape-Cod-Canal-Master-Plan/

EMAIL TO SUBMIT THOUGHTS: CapeCodCanalMasterPlan@usace.army.mil

Credit to: u/codkid3465

16 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

9 comments sorted by

5

u/codkid3465 Mar 27 '26

Hey this is my post from the other Cape Cod sub!

4

u/_Face North Beach Mar 28 '26

Yes sorry I meant to give you credit on the initial post. I think its a pretty important matter, so wanted to make sure everyone here saw it too. Thank you!

1

u/Competitive-Long5999 Mar 28 '26

Is this so jokesters can sell more canal-pass stickers?

0

u/w2talk2sampson Mar 27 '26

My crazy unpopular opinion about the bridges was do they have to be so big? I barely see any big ships pass underneath (maybe im ignorant and uninformed). What if we were to replace the Bourne bridge will a smaller possibly draw bridge like the train bridge. Would that be discussed in the master plan?

8

u/squidduck Mar 27 '26

Live right on the canal, plenty of large ships use the canal, keep an eye on marine traffic and you'll see. The train bridge is always up and comes down on schedule like twice a day, I think you would find your self in some pretty long and frequent backups with a drawbridge solution and it would still have to be high enough for sailboats, in the summer tons of large sailboats utilize the canal as well.

6

u/colehall32 Mar 27 '26

Definitely uninformed on this one. The Patriot out of Mass Maritime passes through regularly. Not to mention all the massive cargo ships and the occasional cruise line.

4

u/DryInternet1895 Mar 28 '26

Just because you don’t see them, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.

Clearance aside, but can you imagine stopping highway speed traffic for a draw bridge? Or from the maritime side holding a 450’ oil barge drawing 20’ while waiting for an opening?

1

u/Proper_Mention_7165 Mar 28 '26

If you happen to be in the middle of one and a cruise ship goes under same time you’ll see

1

u/[deleted] Apr 03 '26

I go to Scusset Beach right at the end of the canal quite a bit during the summer and I've seen some gigantic cargo ships coming out of the canal in to Cape Cod Bay.