A Colorado-based company’s proposal for a new system to help clear roads and reduce harmful emissions from distributor trucks in downtown Edgartown was met with pushback Monday.

The company, 106West Logistics, pitched the select board on building a transfer facility where goods arriving by large semi-trucks would be offloaded into smaller, electric vehicles. The company would contract with the town, which would also pay to build the transfer facility, under the proposal.

Kolby Ward, vice president of the company, said the idea would ease traffic and curb greenhouse gas emissions. The company contracted with many off-Island towns including Vail and Breckenridge in Colorado and Teton Village in Wyoming.

“When you’re walking down the street and there [are] multiple distributors trying to deliver their goods, they’re backed-up halfway onto the sidewalk creating public safety concerns,” Mr. Ward said.

Eugene (Geno) Courtney, who owns several businesses in town and sits outside his ice cream shop along Main street for hours each day, said he knows the current system in Edgartown works. He said the proposal asks too much of taxpayers. 

“We got a good police department and they move those trucks right along,” Mr. Courtney said. “As far as I’m concerned, we should probably take this product to Aspen.” 

Select board member Art Smadbeck told the Gazette he’s never heard of a municipal service that involves trucking goods for private companies. He said it’s not the town’s responsibility. 

“I think this is one of those situations where it’s a solution looking for a problem,” Mr. Smadbeck said. 

The town rarely gets complaints about distributor trucks, he said. Occasionally a big truck will get stuck and block a road, but Mr. Smadbeck hasn’t heard of that happening in years.

“I think the proof is in the pudding…” he said. “I don’t see a problem.”