Laserfiche WebLink
1996 Final Regional Policy Plan <br /> continued dependence on the automobile for mobility. Traffic congestion is an increasing <br /> problem: the road system is ge ger y adequate to serve the Cape's "ofd season" needs but <br /> becomes ffi <br /> seriously overloaded during the summer. Trac congestion causes driver frustration <br /> and air o ution. increases accidents and wastes valuable time and fuel. It is probably the <br /> most visible negative consequencedevelopment without appropriate suppoz incy <br /> o <br /> infras tru c Lure. <br /> comparison of 1972 and 1995 tra `mc volumes for the Bourne and Saganmore brides, as <br /> counted by the Massachusetts Highway Department, reveals several disturbing trends: <br /> • averse annual traffic volumes in 1995 are higher than summer tr-afflic volumes in 1972. <br /> * 1972 summer traffic volumes were exceeded for eight. months of 1995, <br /> = • t-affic volumes In the summer are double winter tra. lc volumes, <br /> a both summer and winter volumes continue to increase. <br /> In fact, should these trends continue. every month of the year will exceed summer 1972 <br /> volumes bythe year 2001. These trends are not isolated to the bridges: data from other tmraic <br /> count locations on Cape Cod show increases consistent with that of the bridges. <br /> Somep ro res has been made in developing alternatives t automobile transportation on Cape <br /> Cod, In 1996, ublicly subsidized summer trolley a ce operated in seven Cape Cock towns <br /> pear round shuttle service i available in <br /> compared to none dive gears ado. In addition, y <br /> Barnstable and Mashpee. Plymouth & Brockton Street Railway Company (P B) provides year- <br /> round bus service between-Hyannis and Provincetown via Route A and Route S.with the <br /> completion of -cap'park and ride lot near Route in Harwich. P&B is pursuing funds t <br /> expand service to the Outer Cape. In addition, the Cape Cod Rail Tra.]I bicycle path has been <br /> ended sic miles in Eastham and. ellfleet. providing a safe and appealing ay to travel that <br /> section of e cuter F e grit ut n automobile. Cape Cod now has over miles of bicycle <br /> paths,months.providinga viable alternative to automobile travel, particularly during the summersummerer <br /> Bus. rail, ferry and air service is available to and from Cape Cod. Year-round express buses, <br /> operated by P&B. link Hvannis o downtown Boston and Logan Airport via the park & ride <br /> commuter dots on Route Barns and near the garnor Rotary,with the opening of the <br /> vehicle ( 1 lame on the Southeast xpressray and the completion of the fed <br /> huh occupancy <br /> Wi Baas Tunnel this service has become more reliable and less subject to delay. Additional <br /> intercityexpress bases are operated via the Bourne Bridge by Bonanza ups Lin <br /> � es from <br /> Falmouth to Boston and from Hyaxunis to Providence and New York. AmTrak operates <br /> weekend seasonal rail service to and from Cape Cod. Year-round ferry service connects <br /> Hyannis and Falmouth with Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. Seasonal ferry service <br /> connects Provincetowm with Boston and Plymouth. The Pro%yincetown and Barnstable airports <br /> provide scheduled air service between Boston and the Islands. <br /> Cape Codders want? Respondents to the 1995 Cape Cod Residents Survey prefer to cleat <br /> What do Cap <br /> with congestionp robler s by limiting population growth, acquiring developable land and <br /> usingmore strin ent land use regulation, including restrictions on construction o new <br /> g o less than °o of respondents wanted to encourage the <br /> bud�ngs and residential �irclh.n�s J <br /> r v`i ion of alternative modes of transportation. The majority- f respondents to the survey <br /> p <br /> were opposed to widning of roads and intersections. In essence, residents prefer to lessen <br /> traffic congestion by reducing the amount of new traffic rather than increasing the Cape's <br />