Updated August 18
The Steamship Authority (SSA) announced alterations to its schedule to accommodate several upcoming events, including Beach Road Weekend.
During a Tuesday afternoon meeting, the SSA board unanimously approved delaying the 8:30 pm ferry from Oak Bluffs to Woods Hole by 15 minutes to accommodate concertgoers who want to leave earlier than the 9:30 pm boat departing from Vineyard Haven.
The request came from the Tisbury Select Board. In a letter, the select board requested that the 8:30 pm ferry from Oak Bluffs be diverted to Vineyard Haven during the duration of the Beach Road Weekend music festival, which is taking place from Friday, August 25, to Sunday, August 27.
“This request is made as a planned crisis management decision to ensure the safety of the people attending Beach Road Weekend Festival in Tisbury,” the select board’s letter reads. “This would be critically important in a mass casualty event, due to capacity limitations [on-Island] at our regional hospital. In the event of an unforeseen emergency, a ferry from Tisbury would be essential for a timely response. The diversion of the boat will ensure that transport for ambulances and buses is readily available to facilities [off-Island].”
The select board also suggested that “at a minimum,” a 15-minute delay of the last Oak Bluffs ferry should be implemented, as it was last year.
Martha’s Vineyard Hospital President Denise Schepici also sent a letter requesting the ferries to be diverted.
But SSA General Manager Robert Davis recommended the 15-minute delay rather than the diversion.
“We did not send this to the town of Oak Bluffs because we thought Tisbury had done so, but … [Oak Bluffs representative to the Port Council Joe Sollito] warns me they did not address this issue this year,” Davis said. Last year, Oak Bluffs officials were against the diversion, and recommended the 15-minute delay instead.
SSA board members expressed concern over possibly diverting the ferries.
Falmouth representative Peter Jeffrey said Falmouth was not informed about this schedule change request either. “There was no coordination that I know of in talking with the town of Falmouth manager about the town of Tisbury’s concerns, including their point to a mass casualty event,” he said.
Jeffrey said this showed a lack of consideration toward how the schedule alteration could impact Falmouth. “I’m not going to die on a hill for a 15-minute delay, but I think this goes to show we’re not considering the impact to our mainland port communities,” he said.
He continued that considering the SSA’s schedule is set in advance, the Beach Road Weekend promoter should conform the festival schedule to the ferry service’s schedule. “At what point does the town of Tisbury, does the Steamship Authority, say no to a private event, that we’re not going to alter our schedule?” Jeffrey said. “I don’t know who is the licensing official on-Island to this, but I think this could’ve been dealt with by not having to have people listen to Mumford & Sons for 15 minutes more later.”
Davis made a point that Tisbury and Oak Bluffs public safety officials held a tabletop exercise that Falmouth was invited to, although a representative from the Cape Cod town was not present.
SSA board Martha’s Vineyard representative Jim Malkin said the ferry service and the Island were experiencing a “growth issue,” adding that Tisbury may be worried about traffic congestion issues.
“This is a big festival,” Malkin said. “We have elastic demand in the summertime on our Islands. Pretty much you offer anything, and people in the summer will snap it up.”
Malkin continued that it makes little sense to change the schedule through ferry diversions to accommodate a private event, although he was fine with the 15-minute delay to relieve the pressure on the ferry service. However, he suggested Beach Road Weekend organizers should consider the infrastructure constraints of the port communities in future planning.
SSA board chair and Nantucket representative Robert Ranney said the members seemed fine with the 15 minutes, although he pointed out that the consensus last year was that the Martha’s Vineyard towns should plan better, and not ask for “last-minute” changes.
“I’m kind of surprised we’re here again,” Ranney said.
When reached on Tuesday afternoon about the request, Beach Road Weekend promoter Adam Epstein said he has never made a request for ferry diversions or delays for the festival. He pointed out that Tisbury’s request was made based on the recommendation of public safety officials. “I take the advice of the public safety officials,” he said.
Meanwhile, the SSA announced in a Wednesday morning press release other service alterations to accommodate other events occurring on Martha’s Vineyard and in Falmouth.
A couple of trips into and out of Oak Bluffs Terminal will be diverted to Vineyard Haven on Saturday, August 19, for the Ocean Park Fireworks in Oak Bluffs. These trips are the 6:30 pm departure from Woods Hole and the 7:30 pm return trip aboard the Nantucket, alongside the 7:30 pm departure from Woods Hole and the 8:30 pm return trip aboard the Martha’s Vineyard.
The Falmouth Road Race on Sunday, August 20, will not cause any trip cancellations. However, there will be limited access to Woods Hole Terminal via Woods Hole Road until 8 am. This route will be completely closed from 8 am until around 10 am, or until the last racer is out. The SSA warns that customers should expect travel delays along Woods Hole Road and Palmer Avenue because of the race.
Several trips will be impacted by the road closures. The 6:30 am trip from Woods Hole to Oak Bluffs will leave at 6:20 am instead. Customers traveling with a vehicle reservation on the 8:15 am, 8:35 am, 9:30 am, and 9:50 am trips departing from Woods Hole must arrive at Woods Hole Terminal no later than 8 am. All inbound vehicles will be stopped at Woods Hole Road and Harbor Hill Road to be screened by the Falmouth Police Department. Vehicles without an SSA vehicle reservation will be denied access to the ferry terminal. The SSA recommends customers driving to Woods Hole bring a printout of their reservation to show police. Additionally, the last SSA bus to the terminal will leave the Thomas B. Landers Road lot at 7:25 am, while the last bus from the Palmer Avenue lot will leave at 7:40 am.
As for trips departing from Martha’s Vineyard, the 7:30 am trip departing from Oak Bluffs will leave at 7:15 am instead. Drivers from this trip will be allowed to leave the Woods Hole Terminal. Customers with vehicles departing from the Vineyard Haven Terminal on the 8:15 am, 8:35 am, and 9:30 am trips will not be able to leave the Woods Hole Terminal property until the road reopens.
More information on the Falmouth Road Race impact on the SSA is available at bit.ly/3YBVD0V.
Updated with the new Oak Bluffs fireworks date.
Seems like a lot of Hippocratic people on the steamship Authority, and how they choose what they do.
Seems like there a lot of Hippocratic (sic) people on the Island.
They vote for the County Commissioners, who appoint the Board of Governors, who hire the management.
Who did Bob vote for?…
Was it a Hippocrat?
The town of Tisbury could learn something from the Steamship that being not to sell out to private interests. Our select board look like hawkers for the concert, sad
The town of Tisbury could learn something from the “Steamship”.
The “Steamship” sells out to private interests everyday.
Private trucks, cars and people.
Our Selectboard is very Conservative, they are very pro business.
“Steamship”, where is the steam?
Why was the schedule changed for the fireworks?
Because of the crowds?
Tisbury Selectboard, you are letting Adam Epstein steamroll you. Tell him to take his show anywhere else, please!
What were the good people of Tisbury thinking when they voted for this derelict Selectboard.
Run Susan, Run, Make Tisbury Great Again.
Comments are closed.