Cape Cod’s Built Systems: Past, Present, and Future

Across multiple sessions, speakers at OneCape 2025 examined Cape Cod’s infrastructure not just as pavement and projects, but as the foundation of daily life, safety, and community character. Together, the discussions highlighted how bridges, streets, transit, preservation, and redevelopment can be designed with people at the center. 

During his remarks, Senator Julian Cyr pointed to new fair-free CCRTA buses funded through the Fair Share amendment and $1.7 billion in federal resources secured for the Sagamore Bridge replacement. 

In a series of lightning talks, Cape Cod Commission staff showed how infrastructure connects deeply to identity and quality of life. Steve Tupper reminded attendees that “it’s not about the bridge or the bus, it’s about the people who depend on them every day,” grounding transportation in stories of safety, access, and equity. Commission Senior Transportation Planner David Nolan backed that up with data, sharing how traffic counts, bike rack inventories, and crash studies reveal both the scale of use and the life-saving impacts of upgrades like modern roundabouts. Commission Historic Preservation Specialist Sarah Korjeff brought heritage into the picture, saying that “we aren’t building more historic structures, reuse and preservation keep our communities connected to their past while planning for the future.” 

During her remarks, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll highlighted the MassREADY environmental bond bill to speed permitting, harden coastal resilience, and invest in safe drinking water, outdoor assets, and wildfire readiness. The message: the state will be an active partner on big-ticket upgrades communities can’t shoulder alone. 

Vision Zero: A Safer Future 

The newly completed Cape Cod Vision Zero Action Plan was the focus of a panel that brought together law enforcement, public works, advocacy, and planning voices. From speed management to quick-build street fixes, panelists Lt. Aram Goshgarian, Katherine Jansen, Paul Tilton, Dan Burden, and Colleen Medeiros outlined how national best practices can be tailored locally to eliminate roadway fatalities and serious injuries. The session made clear that safety is achievable when design, enforcement, and education work hand-in-hand. 

Redevelopment and Reuse 

Another session highlighted how communities are reclaiming underutilized sites for both people and nature. Kathy Williams, Jessica Whritenour, and Jessica Rempel presented projects where land conservation, environmental restoration, and adaptive reuse came together to create housing opportunities and public spaces.  A mobile workshop tour of the nearly complete Yarmouth Riverwalk project offered participants a firsthand look at the transformative redevelopment of a former drive-in on Route 28 in Yarmouth. The tour, led by Yarmouth Town Planner Kathy Williams and Rob Doane, project manager with the Robert B. Our Company, highlighted the Riverwalk Park, event spaces, and elevated boardwalk. The tour demonstrated how public engagement, thoughtful planning, and strategic partnerships helped bring a long-envisioned community space to life while protecting natural resources. 

Dan Burden – Designing for People and Place 

Picking up on these themes, plenary speaker Dan Burden of Blue Zones challenged communities to “build for people and place and stop building for speed.” He demonstrated how walkable streets, connected blocks, and public spaces that invite people to linger can restore both prosperity and social life. “If we build healthy cities, we will have healthy people, but we also have a healthy planet,” he said, urging Cape Cod to lean into designs that support gathering, exchange, and cultural vibrancy. 

The Canal Bridges 

A breakout session highlighted one of the Cape Cod's most pressing infrastructure challenges: replacement of the aging Bourne and Sagamore bridges. Luisa Paiewonsky of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and Commission Deputy Director Steven Tupper detailed the status of the project, its regional significance, and the steps ahead. They emphasized that this once-in-a-generation investment will shape mobility, safety, and economic vitality for decades, and that continued public involvement will be critical.