The Cape Cod Canal, Explained.

A plain-language guide to the Cape Cod Canal, the seven-mile waterway between Buzzards Bay and Cape Cod Bay that runs under the Bourne and Sagamore bridges. Pick a question to jump to the answer.

1. What is the Cape Cod Canal?
2. Where is it?
3. How long is it? How deep?
4. A short history of the Cape Cod Canal
5. Who owns and runs it?
6. What ships use the canal?
7. Recreation on the canal
8. The bridges over the canal

What is the Cape Cod Canal?

The Cape Cod Canal is a man-made waterway in southeastern Massachusetts. It cuts across the base of Cape Cod, connecting Buzzards Bay on the west with Cape Cod Bay on the east.

The canal is about seven miles long. It is one of the widest sea-level canals in the world. Big ships, small fishing boats, ferries and pleasure boats all use it daily.

The canal saves ships about 135 miles compared to sailing around the outer Cape. That used to be a long, dangerous trip past Provincetown and Chatham. Hundreds of ships sank in those waters before the canal opened.

Where is it?

The canal runs through the towns of Bourne and Sandwich on the mainland side, and along the western edge of the Cape itself.

The western entrance is at Buzzards Bay near the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Bourne. The eastern entrance opens into Cape Cod Bay near Sandwich.

Two highway bridges cross the canal: the Bourne Bridge at the western end, and the Sagamore Bridge at the eastern end. A vertical-lift railroad bridge sits between them at Buzzards Bay. The railroad bridge usually stays raised so ships can pass.

How long is it? How deep?

The canal is about seven miles long, including the entry channels at each end.

It is 540 feet wide at the narrowest point. The water is 32 feet deep at low tide.

That depth is enough for ships up to about 28 feet deep in the water. Most cargo ships and passenger boats fit within that depth.

When the tide comes in or goes out, the water flows fast through the canal. Speeds can reach 4 to 5 knots. Boaters have to time their trips with the tide. Recreational boaters who try to go against a strong current can find themselves stuck or pushed backward.

A short history of the Cape Cod Canal

People talked about cutting a canal across the base of Cape Cod for hundreds of years. Myles Standish, one of the Pilgrims, walked the rivers in 1623 and saw the chance.

The first real attempt at digging a canal started in 1880. It failed, mostly because of money problems and bad weather.

Real construction began in 1909. Workers used steam shovels, dynamite and big digging machines. The canal opened to ships on July 29, 1914.

The first version of the canal was privately owned. It was too shallow and too narrow for the biggest ships of the time. The federal government bought it in 1928.

In the 1930s, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers widened the canal to its current size. They also built the original Bourne and Sagamore bridges in 1935. Those are the bridges being replaced now. More on the bridge replacement.

Who owns and runs it?

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, owns and operates the Cape Cod Canal. They have managed it since 1928.

The Army Corps maintains the channel, the bridges, the bike paths along both sides, the fishing platforms and the visitor centers at each end.

The canal is free to use. There are no tolls for ships, fishing boats or people walking on the paths. The federal government pays the bills.

What ships use the canal?

All kinds of boats use the canal:

• Cargo ships carrying oil, gas, salt, gravel and other goods between New England ports.
• Tugs and barges pushing fuel and freight up and down the East Coast.
• Fishing boats working out of New Bedford, Provincetown and other home ports.
• Ferries running between Cape Cod and Boston, mostly seasonal.
• Pleasure boats: sailboats and powerboats taking advantage of the shortcut.
• Coast Guard ships based in the area.

In a typical year, more than 14,000 boats and ships pass through the canal. That includes anything from small sailboats to 600-foot tankers.

The canal stays open year-round in all weather. The only thing that closes it is heavy winter ice.

Recreation on the canal

The Cape Cod Canal is one of the best places on the East Coast to walk, bike or fish.

Two paved paths run along both sides of the canal, the full length. Each path is about seven miles. They are separated from cars and open to anyone for free.

People walk, jog, ride bikes, push strollers, ride scooters and use wheelchairs along the canal. Dogs are welcome on a leash.

Fishing is huge here. Striped bass, bluefish, fluke, scup and tautog all live in or pass through the canal. The Army Corps has built fishing platforms at several spots. Some folks fish daily.

The Cape Cod Canal Visitor Center in Sandwich has exhibits about the canal’s history and how it works today. It is open seasonally.

The bridges over the canal

Three bridges cross the Cape Cod Canal:

• The Bourne Bridge carries Route 28 over the western end of the canal.
• The Sagamore Bridge carries Route 6 over the eastern end.
• The Cape Cod Canal Railroad Bridge is a vertical-lift bridge for trains. It usually stays raised so ships can pass. It comes down only when a train is coming through.

The Bourne and Sagamore are the two highway bridges most people drive across. Both opened in 1935. Both will be replaced in a project that runs through 2037. More on the bridge replacement project.

This page is updated as new information becomes available. If something is unclear or missing, tell us.