The Sagamore Bridge takes Route 6 onto Cape Cod. The Bourne Bridge takes Route 28. The simple rule: if you’re heading to mid or outer Cape (Hyannis, Chatham, Provincetown), take the Sagamore. If you’re heading to upper Cape (Falmouth, Mashpee) or the islands (Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket), take the Bourne.
The simple rule
- Sagamore Bridge → Route 6 → mid Cape and outer Cape. Sandwich, Hyannis, Yarmouth, Dennis, Chatham, Orleans, Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro, Provincetown.
- Bourne Bridge → Route 28 → upper Cape and the islands. Pocasset, Falmouth, Mashpee, Cotuit, plus the Steamship Authority ferries to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.
Why it matters
The two bridges are about four miles apart, but they feed roads that go in different directions on the Cape. Picking the wrong one can add 15 to 30 minutes of driving once you’re across.
Route 6 is the main spine through mid and outer Cape. Once you’re past the Sagamore, it’s Route 6 all the way to Provincetown. Route 28 stays in the south and west of the upper Cape and curls around to the ferry terminals.
When traffic should change your mind
- Friday afternoons from 3 to 7 p.m., either bridge can back up. Apps like Waze or Google Maps will show real-time delays. Pick the faster one.
- If your destination is in between (somewhere in Sandwich or Bourne), check both. Sometimes the longer-distance bridge is faster.
- Maintenance closures (rare today, more common after late 2027) might push you to the other bridge.
What about getting back?
Same rule, reversed. The road that brought you onto the Cape usually takes you off.
- Heading to Boston or anywhere west: Sagamore plus Route 3 is usually faster.
- Heading to New York, Connecticut or Rhode Island: Bourne plus Route 25 is usually faster.
Will this rule change after the bridges are rebuilt?
No. The new Sagamore is being built right next to the old one. The new Bourne, the same. The roads they feed don’t change. The new bridges just have wider lanes, safer separated paths for walking and biking and modern engineering throughout. They won’t need constant patching.
For live MassDOT advisories and which bridge is moving faster right now, see Crossing the Canal. For project status and timeline, the Project Tracker has the current phase. For the longer story on the rebuild, see The Cape Cod Bridges Replacement, Explained.