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Thursday, May 23, 2013

By Jack Shea
Published: July 23, 2009

With one selectman absent and the two present unable to agree, selectmen postponed action Tuesday on whether to allow the Vineyard Transit Authority (VTA) to provide bus service along Middle Road.

Supporters cited the need for better bus service, particularly for young people. Opponents cited safety concerns related to big buses traveling on narrow roads.

However, selectmen did decide to reduce hours of service for the beach shuttle bus, based on a report from VTA general manager Angela Grant that ridership had evaporated, in part because of privately arranged service.

"They are running around empty, and the taxpayers are paying for it," Ms. Grant said, noting that the closure of the Inn at Blueberry Hill and a new private shuttle service provided by Bob and Sarah Nixon, owners of the Beach Plum and Menemsha Inns and the Home Port Restaurant, has reduced ridership.

The meeting agenda included public discussion of a request by eight Middle Road residents to extend the Island-wide VTA system to include Middle Road service.

Selectman Frank Fenner supported the request. Chairman J.B. Riggs Parker opposed it, citing safety and aesthetic concerns.

At the start of the Middle Road discussion, Chilmark property owners Nancy Nitchie and Emily Meegan presented a petition signed by 18 Chilmark residents, including eight Middle Road residents, requesting the shuttle service.

Ms. Nitchie provided maps of the Middle Road neighborhood. She noted, "Over the past 20 years, more than 100 homes have been built on Middle Road and connecting roads. We want to be part of the town, and we're not. It's very difficult to get back and forth."

Ms. Nitchie's daughter Emily, a Middle Road resident, said her 15-year old son uses the VTA constantly. "He can get around the Island, but he can't get home," she said, noting that service ends in West Tisbury or Menemsha. She suggested using the VTA's smaller beach route bus to connect West Tisbury and Chilmark town centers.

Chilmarker Robert Zeltzer opposed the service, expressing traffic and safety concerns related to the winding Middle Road topography that creates "a lot of blind corners." Chilmark Police Chief Brian Cioffi also opposed the request, based on department records indicating 25 traffic accidents and incidents over the past five years on Middle Road.

Selectman Frank Fenner asked Ms. Grant for ideas about Middle Road bus service using vans. She proposed an hourly bus route from the Chilmark community center, down Middle Road, turning left on Panhandle Road and making the loop to connect with VTA buses at the Alley's general store VTA stop.

Chief Cioffi said he favored vans over buses. Ms. Grant offered a van as a test, noting that vans are six feet shorter but have the same 96-inch width, as buses. She said a test run could be established by August 1. Mr. Fenner said the timetable was too short to implement by August 1, adding, "I'd like to make lemonade out of lemons here. A six-week test would be great."

Ms. Grant outlined the VTA's challenge to match small vehicles with sufficient passenger capacity to handle both rider demand and Chilmark's narrow roads. She said the VTA has used federal stimulus funds to order shorter, more maneuverable buses, specifically for up-Island roads.

With selectman Warren Doty absent, Mr. Fenner and Mr. Parker decided to postpone action.

Bus service to Squibnocket and Lucy Vincent beaches was also a topic of discussion. Bus service now extends only to the start of the beach entrance road, leaving a long, hot walk for beachgoers with coveted residential or inn guest permits. The town beach committee does not allow VTA buses to access beach parking lots due to the size of the buses and difficulty turning around.

The number-12 beach bus shuttle service typically runs between North Road inns and Chilmark beaches between the hours of 9 am and 5 pm daily, from July 1 to August 31. Selectmen asked Ms. Grant to provide a reduced route schedule, possibly beginning daily at 11:27 am to take effect August 1.

The Nixons began their service after the VTA was unable to find a way to provide more convenient and closer access to Chilmark beaches for guests at Chilmark inns.

Mr. Parker suggested more communication in the future might benefit planning. He said that the VTA was unaware of the Nixons' plan to provide private shuttle service.

Mr. Nixon said, "We did not abandon the VTA. The VTA was unable to deliver our guests to the beach," he said, noting that VTA buses were unable to navigate beach access roads, particularly at Squibnocket, a favored destination for guests, particularly seniors. "We'd love to use the VTA," he said.

Also, selectmen approved Mr. Cioffi's request for improved signage explaining parking hours in Menemsha.

In other news, Chilmark executive secretary Tim Carroll noted that a party for retiring tax collector Polly McDowell will be held at town hall at noon on Friday, July 31. The public is invited.