NRTA To Build Maintenance Garage On Town Property After Being Booted From Current Location

The Nantucket Regional Transit Authority (NRTA) plans to move a key maintenance garage for its buses to undeveloped town-owned property on Industry Road. The Select Board, which also acts as the NRTA advisory board, voted unanimously to support the move at its meeting on Wednesday.

The garage is currently located on a parcel of land owned by the Nantucket Memorial Airport at 35 Bunker Road. The airport told NRTA that its lease won’t be renewed when it expires in 2028, forcing the relocation.

“They have made it clear that they will not collaborate with us on NRTA, period,” Select Board member Brooke Mohr said. “They have the authority over that property, and they have made it clear they are not going to work with us.”

The airport claims it needs the land to house snow removal equipment and to support heavy machinery maintenance. Airport manager Warren Smith added that the lease cannot simply be renewed, and that Massachusetts law requires requests for proposals should they choose to continue leasing the land.

“The airport could not simply renew their lease or extend it further,” Smith said. “Another entity could provide a more fitting proposal.”

But that didn’t stop members of the Select Board from criticizing the airport.

“Maybe they should go back and look at what’s best for the entire island,” Select Board member Malcolm MacNab said. “This is obviously going to be very difficult.”

The airport also refused to allow NRTA to use any other airport-owned lots, citing the same concerns about a request for proposals. Its position is that state law binds its hands.

“A [request for proposals] would have to be issued,” Smith said.

The Select Board diverges from the airport’s administration.

“It’s disappointing because I think there’s synergies between the airport and the NRTA and the town,” Select Board vice chair Matt Fee said. “It’s a shame.”

According to a presentation given to the Select Board on Wednesday, the maintenance facility is needed to maintain NRTA’s current level of service and prepare for potential future service expansions.

The NRTA is considering two properties for the relocation: 1 Shadbush Road, and a combined parcel on Industry Road. Both properties are near the VFW building south of Milestone Road.

However, the NRTA intends to select the property on Industry Road, which it sees as having more advantages and fewer disadvantages than the Shadbush Road alternative. Notably, while both properties are town-owned and could provide growth opportunities for NRTA, development on the Industry Road lot could move fast enough to finish before NRTA’s current lease expires, while the Shadbush property would likely require a lease extension from the airport.

The Shadbush Road lot is also currently slotted for use by both the Department of Public Works and the Nantucket Hunting Association, which could cause complications, though the NRTA facility would not displace either of the other uses. It would also require setting aside mitigation land to offset the loss of endangered species habitat caused by development.

The town will not fund any construction work done by NRTA. It will be entirely funded by state and federal funds. The town is only donating the land.