Newsroom

The Cape Cod Climate Action Plan encourages the region to support low- and no-carbon transportation alternatives, expand charging infrastructure, and promote programs that increase EV adoption. Since 2020, EV ownership on Cape Cod has nearly tripled, and charging infrastructure continues to grow. The Cape Cod Commission supports this progress through a range of initiatives, including several new programs focused on expanding EV access, improving infrastructure, and promoting equity. 

The Cape Cod Commission is developing program frameworks to preserve and expand year-round housing opportunities. This work, undertaken in partnership with Outwith Studio, builds on recommendations outlined in the Cape Cod Regional Housing Strategy and aims to identify practical, effective ways to incentivize and support year-round residents.

During a meeting held on June 16, 2025, the Cape Cod Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) released the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2025-2029 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Amendment #5 for a 21-day public review and comment period. FFY 2025-2029 TIP Amendment #5 would program an additional $5,284,636 in FFY2026 using Statewide TIP funds to match the updated project cost for Phase 1 of Bourne Rail Trail construction. View the proposed amendment at www.capecodcommission.org/tip. 

May is National Historic Preservation Month, a time to celebrate the importance of preserving the places that shape our communities and reflect our shared history. On Cape Cod, historic preservation plays a vital role in protecting the character and charm that define the region. 

The Cape Cod Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) welcomed Luisa Paiewonsky, Executive Director of the Megaprojects Delivery Office of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), to its May 19, 2025 meeting for an update on the progress of the Cape Cod Bridges Program. 

The Cape Cod Commission invites members of the public to get involved with the ongoing Route 6A Transportation Visioning Study and to share their experiences along the roadway using the online public comment tool or attend an upcoming public meeting.

With support from a grant awarded by the Massachusetts Office of Outdoor Recreation (MOOR), within the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, the Commission will collaborate with the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce and the Compact of Cape Cod Conservation Trusts to create a comprehensive database featuring detailed site descriptions and images of recreational areas across Cape Cod. The project aims to improve planning and public access to information about the region's diverse natural resources.    

A framework for establishing a Cape Cod Housing Trust and Housing Land Bank is complete. Created in collaboration with consultants Outwith Studio and Utile along with land bank consultants out of Ohio, the framework provides recommendations and next steps for potentially establishing the entity(ies) based on feedback received from stakeholders at numerous meetings throughout the fall and early winter. The framework emphasizes sustainable development and the importance of community engagement in ultimately bringing the entities to life.

We know thousands of vehicles cross the Bourne and Sagamore bridges each day, but what about the people who don’t drive? To better understand how non-motorists are using the bridges and to plan for future needs, the Cape Cod Commission placed “eco-counters,” portable infrared sensors that detect heat to count pedestrians and bicyclists, near both the Bourne and Sagamore bridges. Data shows that hundreds of pedestrians and bicyclists traverse the canal bridges every year.  

The Cape Cod Commission is in the process of updating the 2018 Regional Policy Plan (RPP), which provides regional planning which provides regional planning policies, goals, and objectives to guide development and protect the Cape’s unique natural, built, and community resources. As part of this planning process, the Commission partnered with the Donahue Institute at UMass Amherst to conduct a resident survey designed to better understand public perspectives on local and regional planning challenges. Survey results are now available.