Woods Hole Traffic Headaches: Ferry Parking Violations Create Massive Delays
Cars stack up at the Steamship Authority dock, causing 20-minute waits. Most problems start when drivers hunt for spots that haven’t existed since 2003. “We’re regularly spending 15 or 20…
NANTUCKET, MASSACHUSETTS – APRIL 25: A view of a Steamship Authority ferry approaches the Nantucket Terminal on April 25, 2020 in Nantucket, Massachusetts. The Steamship Authority is receiving 9 million dollars from the CARES Act Stimulus funding to keep ferries running between Cape Cod, Marthas Vineyard, and Nantucket. The boats have been running on a decreased schedule since ridership has cratered due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Cars stack up at the Steamship Authority dock, causing 20-minute waits. Most problems start when drivers hunt for spots that haven't existed since 2003.
"We're regularly spending 15 or 20 minutes in traffic … basically held hostage on Woods Hole Road," said Nat Trumbull per the Vineyard Gazette.
The Authority fights back with fresh fixes. More workers walk the docks. Police watch trouble spots. A new booth speeds up check-ins for booked cars. Staff zip through crowds in golf carts, rushing late riders to their boats.
Shoreside boss Alison Fletcher points to rule-breakers as the main issue. "People seem to just think they can park in Woods Hole... which hasn't happened in 20 years, almost," Fletcher said.
Signs flash warnings, emails blast updates, and the website shows real-time alerts. Yet drivers still circle the streets, searching for spots that don't exist.
The new ticket building's construction adds to the mess. But the head of operations, Robert Davis, says building work isn't the real problem.
"There seems to be some standard times that we end up having a backup and some of those times — most of those times, actually — are when there is actually no construction going on, the workers have all gone home for the day, or it's a weekend," Davis said.
Next Tuesday brings hope for solutions. The port council meets at 10 a.m. in Oak Bluffs town hall. They'll share their thoughts with the board that runs the ships.
