The Lagoon Pond drawbridge was closed for several hours Tuesday afternoon due to a mechanical issue with the bridge gates.
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation sent a notice out to motorists at about 5:30 p.m. and said that the bridge would be closed until repairs could be made.
“Drivers traveling through the affected area should seek alternate routes, expect delays, reduce speed, and use caution,” MassDOT told motorists.
Tisbury police posted on social media that the bridge was reopened around 7:30 p.m. and a MassDOT webcam showed vehicles and pedestrians crossing over the span.
There was an electrical issue with the motors powering the bridge gates, a MassDOT spokesperson said Tuesday. Repairs were completed that evening and the gates were operational again.
The Vineyard Transit Authority bus route 13 between Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven was being diverted through Barnes Road and Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road. The VTA also said that there would be major delays in Vineyard Haven, and encouraged people to take the 1, 7, or 9 routes if possible.
This article appears in July 31, 2026.
Weld that bridge shut! Stop with the insanity. Why does the public have to be so inconvenienced for the pampered.
The marine channel has the right-of-way. Not the highway. If the bridge were to have a problem, the bridge is supposed to be left in the up position
I couldn’t agree more! Poor Biff will need to go somewhere else with daddy’s boat
I was stuck at the bridge yesterday going to drop my grandson off by the state police barracks where he lives. We left the Net result at 4:50. I watched the bridge go down then the bridge went up. A sailboat passed underneath the bridge went down. Five minutes later the lights never changed from red to green people started bailing out at that point we turned around and traffic was backed up from there to the roundabout. That’s about 4 miles got my grandson home an hour later wasn’t a bridge. That was the problem it was those ridiculous gates. Why not abandoned the gates and use humans to stop the traffic
We were at our little house in OB for two weeks. We got stuck on the bridge three times twice ~ as the second car and once as the 5th car. I found the first time to be really charming. The ballets of the two sets of gates as they twisted and raised and then did it all over again. It seemed special but I also said I wouldn’t be so enchanted if I were needing to get to the boat. Indeed, the traffic was backed up past Main St in Vineyard Haven. Our second time was returning to OB; traffic was backed up nearly to Nancy’s. We were grateful our boat tickets were for OB for our trip off-island. I have left my house on time and honored the half hour arrival ahead of most others. We got to the gate in time but were told all boats were all going to VH, in spite of the fact that the sea looked calm. Well, that meant we would be about 10 minutes late for the 30 minute cushion. You got it, the red light on the bridge started flashing as we were within a hundred feet. We watched the bridge do its dance and waited for it to reopen after the boat. Nope, another sailboat slid through. And still no relief ~ a third boat made it’s way. Then the graceful bridge gate routine and we were released. That is, until the chokehold at five corners and then entry to the parking lot itself. At the gate we gave our name and were informed that the gentleman had given the car before us the last ticket he could. We told him we had a ticket and were held up by the bridge. Honestly, he nearly cried. I said we had a cat that gets sick, he asked if we had a letter from a vet and we didn’t. He told us to go in the building for a new booking. We ended up getting ticketed for two days later. I had a doctors appointment for the next day that I’d waited 6 months for. My husband had meds he needed, we’d thrown out food, stripped the bed, closed up the house. It was not like getting 2 bonus days at the beach. It was sitting down dialing and dialing and dialing unto we got a boat for the next day. Out of OB. So, we took it, left the house an HOUR ahead of time, got to the gate only to be told that boats don’t go out of OB Thursdays. Oh, for crying out loud! Went to Vineyard Haven, sailed over the bridge, checked in, got in line, and stayed parked in the sun for an hour. Never before have I been happy to leave the island. Oh, but on a high note, the cat completely forgot to barf!
There has to be a better way.