Utility relocation a factor in completion of Route 28, Yarmouth Road upgrade in Hyannis

Many Cape residents and visitors who travel through the busy intersection of Route 28 and Yarmouth Road in Hyannis may not be happy to learn that the project, now in its fourth year, is only about 60% complete. The project has a spring 2026 completion date.

That update from a state Department of Transportation spokesman last week said the $17.9 million project “involves a significant amount of utility relocation that could impact the contractor's schedule depending on progress made by the third-party utility companies.” Other work includes shifting traffic and allowing for full-depth reconstruction within the footprint of the intersection, the spokesman said.

Construction operations also will include curbing installation, sidewalks, a median island, signs and temporary pavement markings and new traffic signals.

The project extends along Route 28 from Cedar Street to Engine House Road across from Cape Cod Gateway Airport. Businesses along the route have been affected with parts of their entrances and parking lots disturbed.

Route 28 and Yarmouth Road one of Cape Cod's busiest intersections

The reconstruction of one of Cape Cod's most dangerous and busiest intersections began in 2019 and was expected to be completed by spring of 2023, if not before, according to March 2019 announcement.

The project is an expensive intersection realignment primarily due to railroad tracks and utility relocations, Thomas Currier, supervising project manager for the state Department of Transportation Highway Division said in March of 2019.

In addition to being a gateway to Hyannis, the intersection is also the main artery for ambulances traveling to Cape Cod Hospital from Route 6.

In May 2023, the project was about 30% complete with a scheduled fall 2024 completion date, according to the state agency.

What is the purpose of the Yarmouth Road-Route 28 upgrade?

The intent of the project, which went through several years of planning and public hearings as part of the Hyannis Access Study, is to improve safety and reduce congestion for all users at the intersection. The access study is a 20-year, $100 million vision to improve access to the village of Hyannis, the largest and most urbanized area in the town of Barnstable and on Cape Cod, for all users, according to the Cape Cod Commission.

A 2013 commission task force comprised of local officials, business interests and residents concluded that a continuation of the four-lane section, including a landscaped median divider and bicycle/pedestrian facilities, best served the safety and traffic flow needs of the corridor’s users. Additional turning and travel lanes were required, the task force recommended.

To make space for the additional turn lanes, the KAM Appliances building at the intersection was demolished two years ago. In 2021, two railroad tracks across Route 28, west of the intersection, were replaced and two more were added.

Work at the railroad crossing will continue as Mass Coastal Railroad installs a new traffic controller, as well as new signals and gates, according to the latest report. That work is currently scheduled for spring 2025.

During summer construction halted in travel lanes

During the summer months, work will be limited to operations such as utility relocation efforts outside the travel lanes to avoid traffic impacts, the state transportation agency spokesman said. In the fall, once utility relocation work is complete, the state agency contractor Northern Construction will perform surface course paving, permanent pavement markings and landscaping activities, the report said.

The project includes a section of the shared-use path on the west side of Yarmouth Road from Route 28 to the Old Yarmouth Road intersection, according to the state spokesman. A future project is expected to continue the path farther along Yarmouth Road.

The town of Barnstable has been involved in the intersection project at three levels under the direction of Town Engineer Griffin Beaudoin, Public Works Department Communications Manager Kelly A. Collopy said. The department participates in calls with the state agency to keep up on the project, and the town has contributed to the design process and made recommendations for lighting, traffic islands and traffic management, she said.

The town installed water and sewer connections at the intersection, along Route 28 to Cedar Street and along Yarmouth Road, while the state project was underway to avoid disturbing the area later, Collopy said. Periodic lane closures and restrictions are expected to continue, according to the latest state agency website notice.

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Completion date of Yarmouth Road, Route 28 intersection work extended