In the inaugural episode of Bridge the Gap, co-hosts Matt Pitta, Director of Communications at The Davenport Companies, and Paul Niedzwiecki, CEO of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, sit down with Luisa Paiewonsky, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Megaprojects Delivery Office. Luisa oversees some of the Commonwealth's largest infrastructure projects—including the Sagamore and Bourne Bridges replacement program, each with price tags of $500 million or more.

Together, they discuss why replacing these critical bridges is essential for the Cape and Islands' economy, the risks of delaying construction, and how community and business leaders are advocating for full funding while protecting local needs.

Bridge the Gap is your go-to source for factual, locally driven updates on one of the largest infrastructure projects facing Cape Cod and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Show Notes:

• Learn more about the Sagamore and Bourne Bridges project: MassDOT Cape Cod Bridges Program
• Understand the vital role of the bridges in connecting and serving 230,000 year-round residents, 8,500+ businesses, and 5 million annual visitors: Cape Cod Bridges Replacement: An Urgent Need
• Explore the mission of the Cape & Islands Bridges Coalition (CIBC) and its role in shaping Cape Cod's infrastructure future: Replacing the Cape Cod Bridges - Cape & Islands Bridges Coalition"

#SagamoreBridge #BourneBridge #CapeCodCanal #CapeCod #Infrastructure #MassDOT #FederalInfrastructure #Transportation #PublicWorks #InfrastructureFunding #CapeTraffic #CapeCommuters #RegionalPlanning #CapeEconomy #PublicSafety #LocalNews #MAnews #NewEnglandNews

We're well underway with 2025 on Cape Cod and the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce is busy working to promote the region as a world class destination -- and advocating strongly for replacement of both the Sagamore and Bourne Bridges. Both are 90 years old and in desparate need of replacing. Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce CEO Paul Niedzwiecki and podcast co-host Matt Pitta from The Davenport Companies discuss the latest on the plans to replace the Sagamore Bridge first and the need to secure money for the replacement of the Bourne Bridge. They also discuss an interesting proposal to bring a new sports and convention center to Cape Cod.

The federal government recently announced that $993 million was being awarded toward the $2.1 billion cost to replace the aging Sagamore Bridge that spans the Cape Cod Canal and is only one of two vehicle bridges that are the lifelines to Cape Cod & the Islands. Both bridges are nearly 90 years old and are in need of replacement. Combined with previously announced federal grants and state-committed money, construction can soon begin on the Sagamore. Paul Niedzwiecki, the CEO of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, and Matt Pitta, Director of Communication with The Davenport Companies, co-host this edition of the policy pod to discuss when construction could begin and the strategy to secure funding for the Bourne Bridge replacement. The effort to secure funding was supported by the Cape & Islands Bridges Coalition, led by the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, which lobbied extensively to secure the money.

The Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce has been promoting Cape Cod as a world-class tourism destination and great place to live and work for 102 years. Since its inception, the Chamber has been telling the story of Cape Cod from Bourne to Provincetown. In late February 2024, the organization unveiled a complete rebranding - "Cape Cod - Truly Yours." The goal was to update their destination marketing to capture the deeply personal nature of a Cape Cod visit - how everyone's unique experience here, and the warmth of those memories, is what keeps them coming back. On this episode of the Policy Pod, co-host Matt Pitta from The Davenport Companies chats with Liz DiGirolamo, Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce Director of Tourism Outreach and Promotion and Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce Vice President of Tourism Marketing Kristin Mitchell-Hughes about the rebranding.

From Bourne to Provincetown and all the towns in between, 2023 was another busy year for the Cape Cod economy. In what many view as the first full post-COVID year, Cape Cod's tourism sector remained strong, efforts to grow the Blue Economy continued and the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce continued working on the Cape's housing and labor issues. They also took the lead in working to get the Bourne and Sagamore Bridges replaced as soon as possible. On this segment of the Policy Pod, Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce CEO Paul Niedzwiecki and the Davenport Companies Director of Communication Matt Pitta look back at the issues we all confronted in 2023 and discuss what is coming in 2024.

Replacing the aging bridges that span the Cape Cod Canal is a major priority facing the region. At the same time, Cape Cod needs to continue finding innovative and effective ways to promote the area as a tourist destination amid growing competition. Both, in separate ways, need assistance and leverage from the government at the state and federal level. To assist in that, the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce has recently named Lauren Barker to the new position of Director of Government Relations. Barker, who joins the Policy Pod in this episode with co-host Matt Pitta, talks about her background in those related areas and how the Cape Cod Chamber is moving ahead on both fronts. Both canal bridges are the lifelines to Cape Cod and need immediate replacement.

Have you heard about Cape Cod's effort to promote the "Blue Economy?" Here's a chance to learn what it's all about on this episode of the Policy Pod. Co-host Matt Pitta and Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Director Katy Acheson talk about efforts to leverage the sustainable use of Cape Cod's surrounding waters. The Cape's economic viability is directly tied to the health of our environment, which is why millions of people visit the region each year. On May 2nd and 3rd, the Cape Cod Chamber will be part of a coalition hosting a two-day "Big Blue Conference" in Buzzards Bay. Take a listen to learn more about the Cape's "Blue Economy" future and how you can take part.

The issue of how Cape Cod will address increasing wastewater and nitrogen loading concerns continues to grow, with many towns in different stages of planning and implementation. Adding a new wrinkle to the debate is a draft regulation being floated by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection that could put homeowners across Cape Cod on the hook for costly upgrades to their existing Title 5 systems through so-called Innovative/Alternative Septic Systems. On this edition of the Policy Pod, we take a deep dive into the issue with a discussion on how it may be possible to avoid the implementation of new regulations as towns work on their wastewater management plans. Andrew Gottlieb from the Association for the Preservation of Cape Cod is the guest with co-hosts Matt Pitta and Paul Niedzwiecki.

The Bourne and Sagamore bridges that carry vehicle and truck traffic over the Cape Cod Canal are two of the most important lifelines for Cape Cod. Both spans are nearly 90 years old and in desperate need of replacement. On this edition of the Policy Pod, Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce CEO Paul Niedzwiecki talks with podcast co-host Matt Pitta from The Davenport Companies about a new task force that has been created to push the vital project forward. Already declared functionally obsolete, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which maintains the bridges, previously said major maintenance work would be needed within five years. That project could possibly require each bridge to be completely closed for several months while work was underway. That's prompting local officials to urgently lobby for a stepped up timetable for replacement to avoid a potential economic calamity for Cape Cod. The new bridges are needed not to increase capacity on Cape Cod, but to allow life as Cape Codders know it to continue.

Cape Cod continues to be not only a world-class tourist destination, but an increasingly popular place for people to live year-round. And that is putting even more pressure on available workforce housing options. Home prices have skyrocketed over the past two years, pushing many people out of the market for homeownership and putting even more pressure on available rentals. On this episode of the Policy Pod, Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce CEO Paul Niedzwiecki talks with co-host Matt Pitta about the future of housing on Cape Cod, what the Chamber is doing to address the issue, and how local residents can be part of the solution.