Wider sidewalks, more trees and some parallel parking are all part of the plan for revamping Circuit avenue.
Tim Johnson

Oak Bluffs Pushes Ahead on $2.7 Million Downtown Streetscape Plan

Oak Bluffs took another step closer to its ambitious downtown streetscape reconstruction Tuesday, when the select board agreed to issue a request for proposals to rebuild Circuit avenue with wider sidewalks, new trees and planters and parallel parking.

Oak Bluffs took another step closer to its ambitious downtown streetscape reconstruction Tuesday, when the select board agreed to issue a request for proposals to rebuild Circuit avenue with wider sidewalks, new trees and planters and parallel parking.

Board member Gail Barmakian cast the lone vote against issuing an RFP, saying she opposed conducting the project — which also includes Healy Square and Kennebec avenue — in piecemeal fashion.

Ms. Barmakian said town voters had approved $2.7 million for the entire project, not a fragmented one.

But board chairman Brian Packish, who also chairs the streetscape committee, said it was clear from early on that the project would have to be phased.

“You can’t possibly tear up the entire downtown in one fell swoop,” he said. “You wouldn’t be able to maintain functionality.”

The chosen contractor will have his hands full with Circuit avenue alone, said civil engineer Craig Miller of the Waterfield Group in Winchester, which has been developing the plan.

“Adding too much will just cause the prices to rise and give unrealistic expectations,” Mr. Miller said, adding that the area is tightly developed and compact.

“The contractor needs a certain amount of space to operate and move around and have materials, and if we were to add Healy Square to the mix, it would just make the normal congestion of everyday life plus construction harder to bear.”

Mr. Miller said the latest drawings for the Circuit avenue redesign are almost identical to the conceptual draft the select board approved in May after a series of public hearings — but with a 12-inch-wider avenue.

“As we got into the details of how to build everything shown on the conceptual drawings, we found we were able to give an extra six inches of roadway to the road . . . on each side,” he said. “Otherwise, everything else is the same.”

The extra half-foot will come from sidewalks that will still be several feet wider than at present, Mr. Miller said, with plenty of room for wheelchairs.

If $2.7 million does not cover all phases of the plan, Mr. Packish said the town has a cushion from a Seaport Council grant the town received.

Parks commissioner Amy Billings objected to the parking plan. “I’m pretty disappointed that the parallel parking was pushed through without more thought,” she said, adding: “There’s no documentation that says people want parallel parking, but there’s lots of documentation that says they don’t.”

But Leighton Collis, who owns Hotel Ginger, told the board he’s eager to see the work begin.

“It’s going to be painful, but let’s start this process,” he said. “We couldn’t be in more support.”

Before beginning the discussion of the RFP, Mr. Packish, who has business interests on Kennebec avenue, announced that he does not own any property or businesses in the area of the planned work.

“I have filed any and all disclosures necessary by the ethics commission,” Mr. Packish said.

Oct. 6 is the target date for issuing the RFP, Mr. Miller said.

In other business Tuesday, the board approved opening dates for the scallop sea on, with family scalloping beginning Oct. 17 in Sengekontacket and outside Lagoon Pond, and Nov. 13 inside Lagoon Pond. Commercial scalloping opens Nov. 8 in Sengekontacket and outside Lagoon Pond, and Nov. 15 inside Lagoon Pond.

Shellfish constable Chuck Fisher also received approval to promote assistant constable Marco Petricone to full-time, year-round duties.

The town’s new information technology director will be Sherwood Ives, who retired from the same position with the town of Bedford in April.

Mr. Ives will begin by working full time for the next few months to a year, while evaluating whether the position should remain full-time.

“Initially it was a full-time job,” town administrator Deborah Potter said. But the difficulty of finding staff is forcing managers toward more creative solutions, she told the board.

“Succession planning and staffing is becoming a very complex situation for all entities across all spectrums,” Ms. Potter said, noting that five to seven key town workers will be leaving in the next few years.

“We’re . . . starting to think about right-sizing our operation, rather than just filling these slots,” she said.

Also Tuesday, Oak Bluffs became the last Island town to approve the Martha’s Vineyard Commission’s hazard mitigation plan. Approving the plan paves the way for FEMA grants, MVC planner Dan Doyle said.

The new town hall remains on track for completion in mid-November, Ms. Potter told the select board, although it won’t be ready for business until the town installs the furniture and systems needed.

PA Club neighbor Greg Ehrman spoke to the board about a special event at the club in August that did not bring its amplified music in at 11 p.m. as required. Club president Gina Debettencourt apologized, saying club management and directors on site should have controlled the party, which drew 800 people.

“This was the only event we’ve done in three years because of COVID,” said Ms. Debettencourt, adding that normally she would have been present when Mr. Ehrman came to the club to ask for the music to be lowered.

“At any time you can call the PA Club, leave a message for me and I can be found pretty easily. I just was not here that one time,” she said.

Comments

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 09/29/2021 - 16:46

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Eric Stark Wellsville, NY

I want to see the magic that will allow the road and the sidewalks to be widened. Do you plan to move the buildings?

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 09/30/2021 - 07:49

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Marie Edgartown

I am assuming there are no city planners and architects that live on Martha’s Vineyard and that is why we hired an out of town planner. Parallel parking will be a nightmare. I see how it backs up traffic in Edgartown. Edgartown can handle it because it doesn’t have immediate intersecting streets. OB has boat traffic and streets coming together at a popular section of town. You have Geo’s, the flying horses and lots of pedestrian traffic. I am baffled by this decision. I guess I go back to a planner that hasn’t lived and walked the town in the heart of summer or any other time lately. I love OB and wish only the best for the happiest town on the island. Please rethink the parallel parking or is it to late.

Markus David Vineyard Haven

Yes, exactly. How many women can parallel park! Or elderly? But maybe the many MV committees can make regulations that only self parking cars can come over to the vineyard:)

Betsy Davenport Oak Bluffs

I’m offended by your sexist remark! We can probably park faster and better than you silly males!!
But I do have to add that I don’t think parallel parking on Circuit Ave is a good idea either! It could have some really disastrous effects on summer traffic!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 09/30/2021 - 09:41

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Kim Greene Oak Bluffs cottage owner

I really can’t see the point of changing to parallel parking on Circuit Avenue as it will accommodate LESS parking in a place that already has too little parking during the busy summer season.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 09/30/2021 - 09:54

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Paul OB

I am in full support if this project long over due. Thank you Mr. Packish great job! To all the no sayers…., look at Edgartown parallel parking works! Let’s not be vineyard Haven. This will bring business change is good.
I don’t wasnt to hear from Trip Barnes telling us he can’t park a tractor trailer on Circuit Ave…
I still laugh at the roundabout how that would destroy the character of the Vineyard.
Thank you Mr. Packish for putting OB first and taking care of the downtown areas..

Mike OB

Well said! I remember the roundabout and the video that was put out by the trucker. I see tractor trailers everyday going through with no issues.
OB needs a facelift for sure. We need this.. Mr. Packish is all about OB and getting the job done.

Bruce OB

Yea, can't wait for this to happen way over due.... lets not be Vineyard Haven.....No to little business and restaurants.. terrible to drive up Main St with angle parking IMO...

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 09/30/2021 - 11:43

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Judy NH - OB

Sad. What a waste of money. The old town side walks on Circuit Ave. are just fine. The parallel parking and on drivers side at that is a ridiculous idea. Kennebec has no room but is as it is. Changes aren't always improvements.

T Bone OB

I live here year round. You clearly don't walk the sidewalks on Circuit. They are terrible. I've seen more people trip this year than in years prior. These changes will definitely be improvements. Maybe people from NH don't need decent sidewalks. We do.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 09/30/2021 - 14:29

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gina Menemsha / NYC

While new isn't always better the overall feedback is pls don't do this.. & where is the funding for this boondoggle ??? I guess the BOS feel so confident this change will be attractive .. But does it effect that lovely corner Movie theatre building ??? The Malling of Martha. ... ..

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/01/2021 - 06:03

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Kathy Laskowski Oak Bluffs

Well done, OB! The planning for this has been going on for at least 7 years. There have been meetings and forums and input was accepted from anyone who wished to speak or write. Plans were presented and refined based on feedback from the public. We all had so many opportunities to weigh in. And the majority of people in OB are supportive of this plan. Speaking loudly at the last minute doesn’t make you the majority. There’s always a leap of faith involved in a project like this, but I am sure that OB will be a better place to shop and recreate when Circuit Ave is improved. Thanks to the Selectboard for hearing us and thinking forward. I am proud to be from OB!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/01/2021 - 06:32

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Jeff OB

This will be fun to watch. I don’t know about you, but It will be a comedy show watching people parallel park and really clog up the street flow. This action could be the primary reason many of us did not pass our 1st driver’s test when we were kids!!! What are people thinking?

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/01/2021 - 08:12

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Cyril Chilmark

Parallel parking takes 4 times as long in and out. Especially longer for the “in” part.
A nightmare on such a busy street.

Jim D. OB

What nightmare? Are you in a hurry when driving on Circuit? If so then I'm glad parallel parking will slow you down. Speed all you want up in Chilmark. But we have a lot of walkers and families on Circuit. If it takes you an extra couple of minutes to navigate our short street I'm quite OK with that.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 10/01/2021 - 10:34

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Carol Oak Bluffs

OB looks very run down. The building next to Flying Horses is literally falling down as is the old movie theatre. It is really an eye sore. Spend the money on streetscape and safety.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 10/05/2021 - 13:54

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Change is GOOD Oak Bluffs

I encourage everyone to research the myriad of academic studies done to evaluate the differences in pedestrian vs vehicle-centric infrastructure planning. There are a plethora of case studies demonstrative of the ample economic benefits seen by towns that have evolved to favor a pedestrian friendly downtown. As someone who spends every single day on Circuit Ave - I must say I fully support the decision by the BOS to bring this plan (that has been worked on, voted on and planned for going on 7 years) to fruition. Our sidewalks are woefully ill equipped to handle the pedestrian traffic we see - not to mention being inaccessible for wheelchairs, families and strollers. The parking issues that exist in OB won't be resolved by keeping 10 spots or losing 20 spots, but what we can resolve is the fact that our downtown needs a major upgrade to accommodate those with disabilities, families with strollers or just the sheer magnitude of people arriving on foot every Summer.

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