Hello Neighbor, 
I just returned to Chappy after spending an hour and a half at the town hall listening to the 
Students' of Northeastern University presentation concerning their ideas of a "Complete Road 
Design" for Chappaquiddick from the Ferry to the Dike Bridge. Their charge was apparently 
determined by the Chappy Path Committee together with Stuart Fuller, superintendent of the 
Highway Dept. (I'm working to get Stuart to tell what the charge was to the students). 
There were five students working on the plan. They had a nice power point presentation showing 
a heavy bias towards a two way multi-use path, 8 feet wide along the NORTH side of the road. 
This choice was backed up with an already completed large plot plan of the Chappaquiddick Road, showing the path 
running along the road. Separation varied from 3 to 10 feet and necessiates moving the pavement 
of the existing road for about one half mile of the three mile route. 
In their presentation, they said they considered and rejected 1. Doing Nothing. 2. Marking a zone within the existing 
width, or "Starrows". 3. Adding 4 feet of pavement to each side for "Bike Lanes". The decision matrix used was 
based on Netherland design principles as two of the students had spent some time working in the Netherlands. 
The Multiuse path scored high using that criteria. 
When asked about 1. Sidewalks/walking paths along the road. 2. Traffic calming techniques, like removable 
speed bumps, police presence. 3. Recreational biking paths along existing paths across the island. 
Paths along Litchfield Road or sections towards Wasque along the Chappy Road, or North Neck Rd. 
The students indicated they had looked at them briefly and rejected them, or that they were not within the charge. 
They actually said the cost of calming techniques would out weigh the benefits for such a short high 
use season. They indicated they would be looking into costs, but haven't yet. 
The students were evasive when asked about need, but the instructor, Dan Dulaski had asked at the 
start that we leave the politics out and so there was no pressing on the issue of need, or desirability. 
One of the students, when asked if there were any studies made of the accident rate on Chappy or on 
Martha's Vineyard's existing paths said she had, briefly, and was surprised at the low number on Chappy. 
The students were not concerned with the ASHTO design guide calling for 10 foot wide paths or for an exclusive 
right-of-way. I was assured that they would look into a proper barrier where the separation was less that 
5 feet, keeping 7 year olds from falling onto or steering into the roadway. I also pointed out the problems of getting 
vegetation to work along separations of less that 8 feet as the only possible thing, other than grass or ground cover 
would be single trunk trees which could spread out only above twelve feet. Schrubs, hedges on less than 8 foot 
parkway would interfere with the travel lane and block sight lines. 
In addition to the preliminary path design, the students showed a plan redesigning the ferry point which had everyone talking. 
The plan would shift the waiting-to-leave line to two lanes along the north side of the present parking area. Separated by a sidewalk, 
the parking area would run down the middle, with a service road centering two rows of diagonal parking spaces, and then, to the south, the 
present turn out would accomodate cars unloading from the ferry and heading onto Chappy. There would be areas for 
passenger waiting and drop off and pick up out of the roadways. 
The Dike Road intersection was also redesigned, with two options: a rotory type affair, or a more sharp Tee 
intersection that would require a stop or severe slowing. Each of the two plans cut down on pavement, 
and replaced some of it with a planting area similar to the five corner curve. 
The organizers announced the students would be back at the end of March or beginning of April with completed plans. 
Bob Colvin mentioned also they would be conducting a Poll/survey of some kind. When that would be is unclear. 
I have the video tape of the event and will be working to get that on the web site so those of you interested but unable 
to attend can see for themselves what happened. 
Yours, Roger