According to the Cape Cod Commission, the regional planning, economic development, and regulatory agency, the 90-year-old bridges are considered "functionally obsolete," with narrow roadways, unsafe pedestrian access, and aging infrastructure. As the only connection to the mainland, the bridges are essential infrastructure for the more than 200,000 year-round Cape residents and the 50,000 daily commuters who rely on them. The federal government owns the bridges, but under an agreement with Massachusetts officials, the state will take over operations after they are rebuilt.