The Steamship Authority has announced scheduling changes for two upcoming popular events that are expected to severely impact travel on the ferry line’s Vineyard route.
The changes are for the Falmouth Road Race on August 17 and the Oak Bluffs Fireworks on August 22.
Falmouth Road Race
The SSA stated that while no trips will be canceled on the day of the race, access to the Woods Hole terminal by Woods Hole Road will be limited until 8 am. Afterward, access will be closed completely from 8 am to around 10 am, or until the last runner has left the village.
“Customers should expect travel delays along Woods Hole Road and Palmer Avenue all day as a result of the race,” the SSA’s advisory reads.
The 6:30 am departure from Woods Hole will leave early, at 6:20 am. Meanwhile, customers must arrive by 8 am if they plan to ride on the 8:15 am, 8:35 am, 9:30 am, and 9:50 am departures from Woods Hole.
“All inbound vehicles will be stopped at Woods Hole Road and Harbor Hill Road, to be screened by the Falmouth Police Department,” the advisory adds. “Vehicles without a Steamship Authority vehicle reservation will be denied access to the ferry terminal. Customers should bring a printout of their reservation to show police when attempting to get to Woods Hole.”
The last bus to the terminal will leave from the Thomas B. Landers Road parking lot at 7:25 am, and the last bus from the Palmer Avenue lot will leave at 7:40 am.
Those traveling from the Vineyard will also be impacted. The 7:30 am departure from Oak Bluffs will leave early, at 7:15 am. Vehicles from this trip will be the only traffic allowed to leave the Woods Hole terminal. Customers leaving the Island on the 8:15 am, 8:35 am, and 9:30 am trips will need to wait at the Woods Hole terminal until the roads reopen.
For information about the changes and race route, visit bit.ly/4loeCFX.
Oak Bluffs fireworks
On the day of the fireworks, the last two round-trips into and out of Oak Bluffs will be diverted to Vineyard Haven to accommodate the event.
The affected trips are the 6:30 pm departure from Woods Hole, the 7:30 pm return trip aboard the passenger ferry Nantucket, the 7:30 pm departure from Woods Hole, and the 8:30 pm return trip aboard the passenger ferry Martha’s Vineyard.