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Commission raises accessibility concerns at Steamship Authority terminal and High Line pickup areas
Summary
Commissioners described inadequate accessible parking and blocked pickup areas at the Steamship Authority terminal and the High Line during busy season, agreed to review the terminal’s parking plan and pursue improved signage, a closer permanent accessible spot and a temporary pickup/drop‑off space for passengers with disabilities.
Members of the Nantucket Commission on Disabilities spent a significant portion of the Jan. 2 meeting discussing accessibility problems at the Steamship Authority terminal and related congestion at the High Line. Rocky reported that designated handicap parking is either far from the terminal entrance or placed where overnight permit holders park, leaving no convenient short‑term spot for passengers who need to board or disembark.
Commissioners described conditions that can force drivers to circle repeatedly or park far from the building. They agreed that the commission should inspect the terminal’s official parking plan, count total spaces, and determine how many accessible spaces are required by applicable formulas; if the commission believes the current configuration is insufficient, staff will contact the Steamship Authority to request improvements.
Members also discussed the High Line, where summer pickups, taxis and shuttles often block access and can prevent reaching the handicap space at the end of the first row. Commissioners suggested temporary seasonal accommodations or clearer signage and flagged the difficulty of enforcing short‑term creative loading zones during peak season.
