Newsroom

Summer on Cape Cod is in full swing, and the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority is busy working to provide residents and visitors with transit options across the region. In addition to its network of fixed-route buses that serve major roadways across Cape Cod, the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority is rolling out an enhanced on-demand ride-hail service known as SmartDart, beginning its expanded summer fixed route schedules, and welcoming the CapeFlyer summer train for its 11th season.

The Cape Cod Freshwater Initiative is moving forward, with much being accomplished over the past few months. Stakeholder groups, organized by groundwater lens, met three times over the past three months to learn about and share thoughts on the region’s freshwater resources, discuss pond management strategies and priorities, and share ideas for advancing and implementing actions to support pond health.  Stakeholder feedback will inform recommendations and resources that result from the Freshwater Initiative. The final round of stakeholder meetings took place in early June, with groups meeting in Sandwich, Harwich, and Wellfleet. 

This spring, Cape Cod Commission staff completed the Low-Lying Roads project, identifying priority low-lying roadway segments susceptible to coastal storm flooding and preparing conceptual improvements for prioritized locations in all 15 Cape Cod towns.

With 86 percent of Cape Cod's land already either developed or protected, acquiring available land for affordable housing development or redevelopment can be difficult and slow. During the development of the Regional Housing Strategy, the Cape Cod Commission heard this concern from many towns and other stakeholders across the region.

In response, the key recommendations outlined in the Regional Housing Strategy include establishing a regional housing land bank and a community land trust that will work together to acquire and facilitate the development of affordable housing on Cape Cod.

The Cape Cod Commission is collaborating with the Town of Falmouth to develop a wayfinding plan for downtown. This plan aims to improve navigation for motorists, transit users, pedestrians, and bicyclists in the area.

Thirteen Cape Cod high school students are now better prepared to combat climate change after completing the Cape Cod Commission’s Climate Ambassador Program, an initiative to educate, engage, and empower young people on Cape Cod to work together to address the challenges of climate change.

A status on projects currently under review by the Cape Cod Commission.

A diverse group of public and private digital inclusion practitioners convened for meaningful discussions toward enhancing digital equity across Cape Cod. The Cape Cod Commission and Massachusetts Broadband Institute brought these stakeholders together at Cape Cod Regional Technical High School on May 16 for an afternoon workshop to discuss challenges and brainstorm solutions to bridging the region's digital divide.

The Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) voted to endorse the region’s annual transportation planning documents on Monday, May 20, 2024.  The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is a five-year schedule of construction projects for surface transportation in the region, including roadway, transit, and multimodal projects. The Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) is a list of projects to be completed annually by Cape Cod Commission transportation staff on behalf of the MPO. It describes significant transportation planning activities over a 12-month period, beginning in October

The Cape Cod National Seashore Federal Advisory Commission met for the first time in more than five years on April 8, 2024 at the Seashore’s Salt Pond Visitor Center in Eastham. While the official charge of the Advisory Commission is to consult with the Secretary of the Interior on matters relating to the development of the Cape Cod National Seashore, including matters of acquisition by condemnation and zoning regulations, it also serves as a liaison between the Seashore administration, the towns within its borders, and the community at large.