Bourne Bridge Inspection

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Bourne, MA

TranSystems performed a routine, fracture critical and element level inspection of the Bourne Highway Bridge, which carries MA Route 28 over the Cape Cod Canal. One of only two highway bridges connecting Cape Cod with mainland Massachusetts, the Bourne Highway Bridge features an arched truss main span with six deck truss approach spans providing four 10’ travel lanes and one sidewalk for a total length of 2,684 feet. The bridge main span provides 135 feet of vertical clearance for navigation above the canal. The purpose of this assignment was to determine the physical and functional conditions of the bridge, identify any problems and/or changes from the previous recorded conditions, and to recommend corrective measures as necessary so the structure continues to satisfy present service requirements. TranSystems used a combination of Society of Professional Rope Access Technicians (SPRAT) technical rope access, protected climbing, and lift equipment for inspection access. This inspection methodology allowed us to minimize lane closures to a 4-hour, 1-lane rolling closure, which maintained traffic throughout our inspection on this heavily travelled route.