Chappy Ferry co-owner Peter Wells is requesting porta-potties be installed near the Memorial Wharf.
At an Edgartown select board meeting Monday, Wells said he sent the board sketch ideas for a ferry house, to include two handicap bathrooms, but in the immediate future, he would like porta-potties. He said there’s been talk for “a couple decades” about adding restrooms to the wharf.
“There are some long-term solutions such as fixed facilities, actual buildings, but in the meantime, I would ask you to station porta-potties down at the wharf during the busy season, as we do in other parts of the town.”
The island of Chappaquiddick is reached by ferries next to Memorial Wharf in Edgartown. The ferries are run by Chappaquiddick Ferry, which is owned by Peter Wells and Sally Snipes. Wells and Snipes own the slips, transfer bridges, and ferries, but the town owns the land the ferry infrastructure sits on. Edgartown licenses the operation, but has limited authority over the service.
Town administrator James Hagerty said a similar request for restrooms was made two years ago, but that harbormaster Charlie Blair had concerns about it. He also said the board of health would need to be notified.
Wells said the wharf area is used by the Chappy Ferry, the Pied Piper ferry out of Falmouth, and recreationally by families.
“What I’m talking about is this coming summer. It’s very busy down there now. I’ve never seen so much pedestrian traffic on Dock Street. It’s like a pedestrian mall now,” he said. “It’s used extensively by families, including children, and if a little kid really needs to go to the bathroom and they need to take him home, they’re probably not coming back, and that’s a shame.”
Select board member Margaret Serpa said she agreed that something needed to be done. She added that she is frequently asked for help from people in the area.
“I say, ‘Can I help you,’ and generally they’re looking for restrooms,” she said.
Select board chair Michael Donaroma said it was a “great idea,” but said it may be best to discuss the matter once construction at Memorial Wharf is completed in the spring.
Chappaquiddick resident Roger Becker said the board should consider putting restrooms on the Anchor’s property, rather than “the most visually important area” of the town’s harborfront.
The conversation then turned into a discussion about a third Chappy Ferry.
The select board approved a Chappy Ferry steering committee in 2020 amid frustration from Chappaquiddick residents over rate hikes, criteria for cheaper residence rates, and ferry oversight.
The steering committee’s John Dropick said that while other items such as restrooms are important, the town should not be expending funds until transportation issues are addressed with the ferry service.
“We really are in a real crunch right now, tremendously long lines in the off-season. We really need to have two slips at each end that can work, or a different location,” Dropick said.
Wells offered a counter to Dropick. “The total numbers are not up, you guys are just bunching up. You look at the cameras in the off-hours, and there are times the ferries are carrying one car back and forth,” he said. “You guys just all tend to want to go at the same time.”
Chappaquddick resident Dennis Goldin said he agreed with everything Dropick said, and further voiced concerns about the lack of a third ferry. Additionally, Goldin took issue with ferry repairs being done Sunday night.
“It underwent an engine repair [Sunday] night. The lack of redundancy, the fact that we’ve never been given a ferry that’s almost been promised for a decade,” Goldin said. “[Sunday] night everyone was put in great peril … by having an emergency plan that was inadequate.”
In response to Goldin’s concerns about Sunday night, Wells said the emergency repairs were caused by what he believed to be a broken piston ring. He said the police, fire, highway, and harbormaster departments were all ready to transport people if needed, and they were notified of the overnight repairs.
“It wasn’t my first choice to stay up all night and get covered with grease and diesel fuel,” Wells said. “It wasn’t my choice to put in a brand-new engine if we weren’t sure if we needed it, but I’m not one to wait until something breaks until I fix it.”
As for a third ferry, Wells said funding one would be difficult. “I would love to have a third ferry, and it would certainly take a lot of pressure off of me; it would allow me to sleep at night, especially when one of the boats is gone,” Wells said to Goldin. “But I can barely get you guys to pay me to do what I do now, let alone build another ferry boat.”
Select board member Arthur Smadbeck put a stop to the back-and-forth, saying the discussion went beyond the listed agenda item about restrooms.
The entire ferry operation needs much better oversight. The Select Board provides a private enterprise a rent-fee parking lot on Simpson’s Lane along with supplying traffic cops each summer to keep people calm. Every single homeowner on Simpson’s is placed at risk. We had two emergencies, both resulting in airlifting patients to Boston, at homes on the ferry line this summer. Thankfully these happened at night. There is no doubt at least one of those people would have died if these emergencies had happened during the day. Between the walking people, the bikers, and the cars lining up, it makes it impossible for emergency vehicles to get to us. And just a quick note for everyone who says the homeowners knew when they purchased – that is entirely untrue. The lines have grown longer each year. Something has to give.
Why not add a Dunkin Donuts while you’re at it?
It’s already been done. What’s his name from Nancy’s tried it back in the early 90’s.
Peter Wells and crew members provide a first class service to all users.
Its a shame that A few people have to wait just like everyone else does. first come first serve. Simple and DEMOCRATIC.
Stop wineing and be thankful Peter and his captains and crew are so professional and concerned with running a safe efficient service.
The restroom situation downtown has been untenable for as long as Ive lived here (almost 27 years). People wandering around with children looking for a friendly retail store or restaurant that will let them in to use the bathroom (and mostly they dont, I know this because Ive done it). You cant have thousands of people downtown with one public facility (Church St) and no options by the wharf area. Its absurd. Ive actually seen people squatting between parked cars and in the bushes. Please fix this.
I think a bathroom near the ferry is a great idea, but why 2 handicapped ? Sounds expensive.
One should suffice.
And I agree with Elizabeth…
Peter–
Believe it or not, as part of the Biden administration’s initiative to curb climate change, money is available for electric “passenger” ferries. Since your ferry is so small, you just might qualify.
I don’t know if it would apply to the on time ferry service, but here is a link with information about how to apply.. And one thing for sure, with an electric ferry, you would never be up all night getting covered with grease and diesel fuel.
You might want to check it out.
https://www.transit.dot.gov/about/news/us-department-transportation-announces-38-million-funding-opportunity-passenger-ferries
I used to sprint to the old library…would love bathrooms. If you’re waiting in line by yourself it’s pretty difficult to locate a bathroom & get back quickly. Great idea! While your at it, can you give the traffic cops the ability to ask drivers waiting in line to shut off their engines? There is a state law on the books, can we please enforce it?
Posy– I have talked to the Tisbury police about this one, as well as the steamship authority.
They seem quite stubborn about not enforcing it.
The Statute, MGL, Chapter 90, 16A says: “No person shall cause, suffer, allow, or permit the unnecessary operation of the engine of a motor vehicle while said vehicle is stopped for a foreseeable period of time in excess of five minutes.”
The average car uses about 1/2 gallon of gas to idle for an hour.
Starting a car uses about 11 seconds worth of gas, so if you are going to idle for more than 11 seconds, it saves fuel to turn it off.
The argument about wearing out the starter is bogus.
The exhaust fumes on a windless day in an area like this are a health hazard– especially from the larger diesel trucks, which for some reason, seem to have a high proportion of owners with the smallest brains and least consideration for the well being of the people who have to breathe a known carcinogen — namely their exhaust fumes.
If people demand that the police enforce that law, they will. —- maybe–
The Edgartown selectman should be pushing to make this happen not trying to find reason to stall. All of the selectman have known for years this is needed and has been talked about for 25+ years but always some reason to delay. Lets not delay any longer the least we can do for our visitors who spend millions in town every year is let them go to the bathroom where they congregate. There should be a sign in front of town hall letting people know there are bathrooms inside as well. Sham on the town for trying to hide this fact.
Not usually one to comment, this will be simple and straightforward. We are Humans. Accommodations for Humans include providing a place for the Humans to eliminate waste from their bodies. There are inadequate facilities in our towns, no beach facilities, and few facilities on public lands. (Be sure to bring a plastic bag to pick up after your dog.) And, I agree with Elizabeth also.
as a traffic officer all summer i would say about 10 people a day ask me if there are restrooms available…
Curious – Goldin cited everyone being “in great peril” by having an emergency plan that was “inadequate”. Yet Peter followed up by citing every emergency agency that had not only been notified of the repairs (which were scheduled overnight – on a Sunday – let’s not forget that – we are talking a Friday afternoon) but we’re also on standby to handle any emergency. Short of wrangling up some unicorns and sprinkling them with pixie dust what else is this man supposed to do? One boat out per Coast Guard required inspection. The other boat in need of repairs – he schedules them in the middle of the damn night. Makes sure everyone else knows. As well as Chappy ferry captains on call with the skiff. Meanwhile he keeps offering to shovel and load seaweed for people. And now trying to figure out bathrooms. Which is crazy only because anytime something goes wrong or they are dirty or backed up or whatever – he will certainly get blamed. I mean at what point do people just say thank you? It’s shameful.
Elizabeth, please spare us the theatrics. I have seen emergency vehicles move through the line multiple times, it takes no longer than any other heavily trafficked area (which is all of downtown in the summer). The line has been this long for literal decades. If you are legitimately concerned for your life, may I suggest you sell your multi million dollar property and relocate.
How rude. The guy had to be revived on the ground in the middle of the street – multiple ambulances involved. Maybe that is what you call theatrics? And our house was struck by lightning four years ago. We needed a lot of equipment. There is NO WAY anyone could have gotten to us in the middle of the day. Picture trying to empty a parking lot in order to get a ambulance to you.
And you can’t be telling the truth because ONCE in the past five years an ambulance accidentally took Simpsons to get to the ferry (they were from another town) instead of routing to dock street. And they got STUCK in front of our house. Whoever was waiting for them hopefully did not have a heart attack. So not sure what you are saying about “i have seen emergency vehicles move through the line multiple times”.
And you are 100% incorrect – decades? Do you have some numbers to support that?
Alright Elizabeth. This article is about porta-potties but since you chose to make this about your personal grievances and inconveniences, let’s dig in here—shall we?
First of all, your house being struck by lightning and needing repairs is a far cry from an emergency. I am utterly unfazed by whatever inconvenience this caused you. Are you saying you are concerned that an ambulance could not have reached you, in a hypothetical situation, because of all the equipment that was in front of your house at your request? No one’s concern but your own.
I looked up your house in the assessors records and have distinct memories of how inconvenient it was to get down Simpsons lane during its construction. Still to this day, whenever you/your neighbors have landscapers, painters, pool cleaners, and other workers there they park in the street and block traffic. You purchased the land in 2009 and built in 2010. Are you going to try to tell me you were unaware of the ferry line at that time? Are you trying to say that things are so drastically worse that you now fear for your life? To use your own words, “100% incorrect.” The ferry line has been on Simpsons lane, consistently, every year for the 30 years I have been here. Is the island growing increasingly busier each year? Yes. Do you know why? Hint: it’s not the locals. It was indeed an inconvenient and busy place to build but you chose to nonetheless. I much prefer sitting in line and looking at the vacant land that sat there before your 5,000sq ft house was jammed onto it.
Moving along to the rest of your vapid complaints.
I’m calling you theatrical for you unfounded claims that multiple people would have died, and for invoking other hypothetical situations in your defense.
What scene do you see unfolding? Pedestrians and bikers just milling around in circles, baffled and confused, unable and unwilling to get out of the way? Drivers fumbling for their keys, indignantly refusing to move? Traffic cops (which you pointed out, are there) screaming as the ambulance sits there, sirens blaring, and no one does anything? EMS doesn’t think to…get out of the ambulance, grab the stretcher and their gear, and rush to the person in need? Rush them back to the ambulance on said stretcher? Someone dies on the street with help mere yards away, surrounded by annoyed ferry line patrons? The block is only a few hundred feet long and you are in the middle of it. That means two access points, and half the length that needs to be covered. Some people here in the summer might not be the most attentive and alert, but I do genuinely have a hard time believing someone would die as everyone sputters around confused. According to your logic, it’s truly a miracle anyone in any major city is alive.
I have, in my 30 years here, seen emergency vehicles come though. The cars in line see the sirens and lights, which typically signifies to cars that they are required to move because there is an emergency. They do then, in fact, move. I’ve been one of those drivers before. The line was quickly moved, the ambulance got through, and then everyone circled back around to line up again. As you pointed out, there are typically traffic cops. You know what their job is? To move cars. To direct traffic. To help in an emergency. You have so many lines and marked areas painted on the street (especially in front of your house) specifically to keep the open lane wide enough for cars to get down—which they do. I’ve seen taxi cabs, construction workers, landscaping trucks, and delivery vehicles all make their way down the street, often to your house to provide you with services. They didn’t have sirens, lights, and cops assisting them and they somehow made it. A road wide enough for two vehicles to be side by side is again, a far cry from a “parking lot.”
Why don’t you contact the police and hospital and ask for statistics on how many people have died from Chappy Ferry line related congestion and emergency vehicles being unable to get through? I’ll wait. In fact, you can discuss your concerns and complaints at length with them and design an emergency plan for the residents of your house. That is a better and more appropriate audience than commenting on an unrelated article about porta-potties to air your grievances. This issue was reviewed in depth a few years ago, and there was a reason no changes were made. It’s illogical and unnecessary. It was all a thinly-veiled attempt to increase your property values and personal convenience.
For context, this is from a MVT article in 2015:
Elizabeth O’Connor and Jonathan Chatinover, residents of Simpson’s Lane, wrote in a letter dated Feb. 22 that the traffic “situation has gotten progressively worse over the past three summers.”
They offered two alternatives: staging cars at Pease’s Point Way, where bike racks are now located, or at the Edgartown School.
“It is our hope that this problem can be resolved without legal intervention,” they wrote at the end of their letter. “We are more than willing to work with the town to explore solutions.”
Three seasons after finishing construction you are threatening legal action because you are annoyed with where you chose to build your $1.5+ house? I’ve yet to shed a tear.
If despite all of this logic you are still concerned that you will legitimately die in peril, I again would urge you to consider selling your house and moving. Just be sure to include this life threatening issue in your disclosures upon closing. Or, you can stay at any of your FOUR properties in Edgartown. I see a couple are in Katama, that might be safer for you.
Until then, I will assume the risk of living on Chappy (where I am significantly more delayed in receiving medical care, although grateful for how responsive the ferry is to emergency situations) and you can continue to assume the life or death risk of living in a house in one of the most expensive and sought after neighborhoods on an exclusive summer destination island for however long you are here in the season.
Donate to affordable housing and keep your elitist problems to yourself.
See you in line.
If the town(s) doesn’t realize that waterfront property is the most valuable and irreplaceable of all land, and even considers putting any type of restroom (portable or not) at the Chappy Ferry, it is unconscionable. Right across the street from the ferry is the town’s Council on Aging. It is owned by the town and to be used by the public. Portapotties (or even permanent restrooms) can be placed in the back parking lot behind the building (access right off Daggett Street): so, a few parking spaces are lost, but this is town property and not exclusive Council on Aging property. Waterfront is not the place to put anything extraneous to maritime and recreational water activities. The Town has property that can be used that does not require loss of Edgartown’s historic waterfront character… just one look around at all the approved modifications to build-out and permanently modify historic downtown neighborhoods tells you the town needs some expert land-use planning help. Lay-person- committees are ‘nice’, but they are not rooted in architecture, history, planning and long-term objectives. The waterfront is irreplaceable.