Citizen Group Files Complaint Against SSA

Friday, January 7, 2022 - 11:49am

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A citizen advocacy group that has been pushing for an off-Cape port to handle Steamship Authority freight traffic is asking the Massachusetts Attorney General to intervene by placing restrictions on the boat line.

The Smart Citizens Task Force filed a 31-page public nuisance complaint with Attorney General Maura Healey on Jan. 5.

Among other things the complaint cites a 20-year-old study that evaluated growing traffic congestion around the ferries in the mainland port communities of Hyannis and Woods Hole.

The problems have only grown worse, the complaint says, including causing noise pollution and sleep disruption for residents and public safety hazards from truck traffic.

The complaint asks the attorney general to take a series of steps, including not allowing the use of the third slip in Woods Hole except for emergency operations, and requiring the elimination of standby service for cars and trucks.

“SMART brings this matter to the office of the attorney general as a last resort,” the complaint states. “Years of good faith efforts to advocate for change . . . have failed,” it also says in part.

Steamship Authority

Comments (15)

Kenny, Oak Bluffs

SMART? Seems the group should rename as DESPERATE.

January 7, 2022 - 9:09pm

George Strin, Oak Bluffs

Boat was here before you bought your house. That was your chance to be Smart. Some folks have money to burn besides our tax dollars dealing with their court costs. Study the study we studied while studying the study. Familiar tune , an Island favorite.

January 7, 2022 - 9:19pm

Marie, Edgartown

I wish them luck. Yes, they did buy at a port area but that does not mean they should not be protected by the state for abuse of area. I feel we as vineyarders should support their efforts and try to control the growth that has taken place. Why do we need 20 foot trees and boulders the size of houses for our yards. The trucks are not just bring essentials. I am not against progress but we need to do some checking as to what is in these massive trucks causing all this drama. Remember because you can doesn’t mean you should. Let’s be good neighbors and support the people of Woods Hole.

January 8, 2022 - 8:39am

Susanna J. Sturgis, West Tisbury

SMART stands for Southeast MA Regional Transportation. They seem to have been around for a few years. Here's their website: https://smartcitizenstaskforce.org/. I couldn't find any info there about their funding and who's behind it -- perhaps, Gazette, you could find that out for us?

January 8, 2022 - 12:16pm

Islander Too

While the Gazette is digging, could we also get some data on the amount of monies that flow to the town of Falmouth, in the form of wages and other benefits, directly from the SSA, and any other indirect financial benefits to Falmouth from both Vineyard tourists and residents? Possibly such data are available, and I missed them.

January 8, 2022 - 11:06pm

Down Islander

How would prohibiting standby for cars improve the quality of life in Woods Hole? Standby has already been severely restricted. I understand the frustration, but the island is not the same animal it was 30 years ago. The population is growing and the need for consumer products will only get higher.

January 8, 2022 - 2:18pm

JayEff, EDGARTOWN

In some respects SMART is right, there is way too much activity in Woods Hole. However, the solution isn't to curtail services but to limit the island growth. Island towns should put a two-year hold on building permits for new homes while they figure out a workable growth strategy. The island has way too much traffic and too much demand on island services. Developers are feasting on the island, a problem that is bad and getting worse. If we contain/manage the growth, we solve help solve the problems on the island and the ports too.

January 8, 2022 - 10:07pm

Mack and the boys

Agreed!

January 11, 2022 - 12:03pm

Anonymous, Aquinnah

MOVE !!!!

January 9, 2022 - 7:20am

John Dowling, Falmouth

No one is telling the Vineyard to restrict growth, cars or whatever. But it is clear, and has been for many years, that a second port to provide boat service to the Vineyard is needed. But the SSA has been unwilling to consider this seriously, and now we are in a position that a serious accident is likely to happen on the two lane road between Falmouth and Woods Hole. Do we have to wait until this happens?

January 10, 2022 - 11:57am

mike, Somewhere

I don't think the truckers are making wasted trips. Most are probably bringing the goods the Vineyard needs to have. There could be a time scheduled for oversized and specialty freight. Falmouth and Woods Hole have been merchant hubs for a long time, populations have grown. These are ports that have always dealt in merchandise and freight. What's new. Nothing. SSA pays a lot for the business they run and both towns benefit.

January 10, 2022 - 1:26pm

BS, OAK BLUFFS

Maybe a solution to Woods Hole congestion would be for WHOI and MBL to make employees and visitors car pool or perhaps take the SSA buses. Give them free parking in Palmer Ave. It's not just islanders that are clogging up their roads.

January 10, 2022 - 1:32pm

here we go again, mvy

Its comical when people who complain about pre-existing things like airports, highways, and schoolyards didn't take their blinders off when they got a cheaper price than buying elsewhere. Lets make it crystal clear running a boat to an Off-cape port would be a MASSIVE increase in the CARBON footprint of the SSA, notwithstanding price increases for travel. Lets go green (except when its in their backyard!)

January 10, 2022 - 6:52pm

Reginald

Bad enough that standby is limited compared to what it once was, but to eliminate ALL standby? Sounds like malarkey.

January 11, 2022 - 8:18pm

Lorraine, Edgartown

Reginald, you are absolutely correct. There are times when standby is desperately needed. Back in the day, I had to take my spouse off island for skin cancer surgery, we had no idea of the timeline, docs could not give one, so we were sent on our way with my spouses head wrapped up like a football in bandages, nervous nelly me driving, no ticket, had to do standby to get spouse to house and to bed. What is wrong with standby for which that was the only solution a number of times with medical appointments? I, many times over the decades, have had to rely on standby due to emergencies of a medical nature. I cannot imagine not having standbys.

January 12, 2022 - 9:57am

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