Woods Hole residents slam ferry line

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The Steamship Authority hosted the second of two community forums on the land portion of the Woods Hole Reconstruction Project Wednesday night on Zoom. The most recent city-side cost estimate is $ 26.9 million, according to SSA spokesman Sean Driscoll. Despite several design changes in the wake of past criticism and concerns, including a number of significant changes to the design of a utility building, residents of Woods Hole were low on and heavily disapproved of on Wednesday.

The scale and location of a new terminal and traffic were issues that dominated comments.

Woods Hole resident John Woodwell told SSA General Manager Robert Davis and BIA.studio owner Chris Iwerks, among others, that Woods Hole residents had previously expressed opposition to the size of the building, to the location of the building, [and] orientation of the building.

Woodwell described the proposed terminal design as twice the size of the temporary terminal currently in use and questioned the rationale for its size.

Woods Hole resident Eugenie Kuffler said she appreciated the efforts to redesign the terminal windows, but still considered the building to be too large.

Kuffler expressed concern that the new building would block the view of the Great Harbor and Woods Hole Passage.

Kuffler recommended that SSA freeze the project, reassess with experts, and respect the village and its character.

Woods Hole resident Stephen Laster asked for evidence that the SSA had explored the design of the smallest terminal possible.

Davis said SSA has reviewed many versions of the terminal and the current design size is the minimum size we can go to meet our operational needs.

Woods Hole resident Nan Schanbacher has denounced the traffic slowdowns she has encountered on Woods Hole Road and at the Crane Street Bridge, describing them as a safety concern for residents of Juniper Point who have no another way to come and go.

God forbid, someone about to have an accident or need an ambulance, she said.

Schanbacher said the safeguards force people to drive in the wrong lane to get to where they’re going and this situation is going to get someone killed.

Kathryn Wilson, SSA board member, representative of Falmouths, described the traffic situation as significant.

Wilson lamented that the residents of Woods Hole and the brass of the SSA seem to be talking to each other and not progressing.

Reached Thursday, frequent SSA critic Nathaniel Trumbull asked what happened to Vineyard SSA rep Jim Malkins, pitching the boat campaign in front of the buildings.

Trumbull described the terminal; building like a monstrosity in the making.

Reached Thursday, Malkin said his philosophy had not changed.

Boats are more important than buildings, absolutely, he said.

Malkin pointed out that the terminal’s current design is smaller than it used to be, its height and footprint reduced.

I’m surprised people keep commenting on the height of the building when, until a few years ago, there was a two-story building right on the harbor that obstructed the view, Malkin said. This building is no longer there.

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