Nantucket County Commissioners on Tuesday voted unanimously to adopt preferred alignments for the Tom Nevers Road multiuse path, selecting east-side option 3 and south-side option b to finalize plans and move the project toward construction.

The decision came after a presentation by Mike Burns, transportation program manager for the MPDC, who described three east-side alternatives and two south-side alternatives and summarized outreach, utility coordination and cost estimates. Commissioners approved the recommendation from the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) and the Nantucket Planning and Economic Development Commission (NPDC) — option 3 for the east segment and option b for the south segment — and directed staff to use those alignments to finalize plans.

The selection matters because funding for easement acquisitions and construction was approved at the town’s recent annual meeting and on the ballot, allowing design and easement work to proceed. Burns told commissioners staff hopes construction could begin as early as fall 2026 with possible completion by summer 2027. The county, as owner of the road layout, will be responsible for easement acquisitions and any associated costs.

Burns laid out the differences among the east-side alternatives: option 1 places a variable-width 10-foot path abutting the road and narrows to 5 feet to avoid utilities and properties; option 2 is a straight 10-foot path with an approximately 8-foot buffer that would require some property impacts; and option 3 is a 10-foot path with mostly a 4-foot buffer that curves behind utility poles to reduce property impacts while avoiding utility conflicts. For the south segment (Old Town Nevers Road to the playing fields) option a would provide paired 5-foot usable shoulders (bike lanes) with minimal property impact, and option b would extend a separated 10-foot multiuse path to the end of the road but require additional property and landscaping impacts in places.

Burns said coordination with utilities reduced anticipated conflicts (many guy wires can be removed or adjusted) and that the Lampang property would include a boardwalk supported by the Lampang Commission. He presented project cost ranges tied to the south-segment choice: choosing the usable-shoulders approach (option a) would yield a project estimate between about $4.7 million and $5.0 million depending on the east alignment chosen; choosing the extended multiuse path (option b) raises the estimate to roughly $5.5 million–$5.8 million, driven largely by property acquisition costs and potential landscape relocation.

Public commenters and several commissioners pressed on safety and property impacts. Neighbors who would be directly affected said they favored the least intrusive option for the south segment (option a) because of reduced property impacts and lower cost. Other residents urged a larger buffer and a separated path because of dense summer fog and safety concerns; one commenter said fog and previous accidents at the location made a buffer important for user safety. Commissioners noted both the homeowners’ concerns and BPAC/NPDC recommendations; after discussion Brooke moved to approve the BPAC/NPDC recommended options (3 and b) and Don Holgate seconded the motion. A roll-call vote recorded all commissioners voting aye; the motion carried unanimously.

Next steps listed by staff include notifying affected landowners again, finalizing a preferred alignment for plan completion, continuing coordination with utilities, and beginning easement acquisition and design work. Burns and staff said final alignment details in affected private landscaping and layouts would include further property-owner input and would be used to estimate final project costs.

Votes at a glance:
Motion — Approve BPAC/NPDC recommended alignments (east option 3; south option b) as preferred alternatives to finalize plans and implement the Tom Nevers Road multiuse path.
Mover — Brooke (County Commissioner)
Second — Don Holgate (Chair, County Commissioner)
Vote — Matt: Aye; Dawn: Aye; Brooke: Aye; Malcolm: Aye; Don Holgate (Chair): Aye
Outcome — Approved (unanimous)

Staff and the presentation materials note the project funding was approved at town meeting and on the ballot; however, final construction depends on acquiring easements and completing final design. The county’s DPW director, Drew Patton, was on the call to answer technical questions during the discussion.