Police stationed at intersections Rt16 Medford-everett (Revere, Chelsea: living, airport, bill)

[BostonMike7]

For the past couple of weeks, I've been driving down rt 16 from I-93 into Revere around 5pm and have noticed many intersections have a cruiser or two parked, with blue lights flashing.

After seeing this for a couple weeks. I have to ask, does anyone know why?

Most cruisers parked at Wellington, but I've seen at least 1 at most intersections from Medford into Everett and even into Chelsea/Revere.

Mostly state cops, but some local.

Anyone know why? Just curious.

[professeurpablo]

I'm pretty sure that the police are stationed to guide and assist people along the route to Logan Airport via Route 16 while the Callahan Tunnel is shut down. What makes me think this? The presence of these State Police cars coincided with the closure of the tunnel. It seems like an insane way to tell people how to get to Logan - why not just put lots of signage rather than have five or six cruisers sitting there running, lights flashing with police sitting inside at nearly all hours? I'm sure having an officer or two during peak hours to assist with directing traffic could make sense, but the current setup, if my hunch is correct about the reason, makes very little sense logically or financially. They're stationed in three spots that I know of: at Wellington Circle in Medford, at Santilli Circle in Everett, at at the intersection of Revere Beach Parkway and Winthrop Ave in Revere.

[pennyone]

This is how people make a living, professor....lots of man hours to bill the state.

[BostonMike7]

Originally Posted by professeurpablo

I'm pretty sure that the police are stationed to guide and assist people along the route to Logan Airport via Route 16 while the Callahan Tunnel is shut down. What makes me think this? The presence of these State Police cars coincided with the closure of the tunnel. It seems like an insane way to tell people how to get to Logan - why not just put lots of signage rather than have five or six cruisers sitting there running, lights flashing with police sitting inside at nearly all hours? I'm sure having an officer or two during peak hours to assist with directing traffic could make sense, but the current setup, if my hunch is correct about the reason, makes very little sense logically or financially. They're stationed in three spots that I know of: at Wellington Circle in Medford, at Santilli Circle in Everett, at at the intersection of Revere Beach Parkway and Winthrop Ave in Revere.

Isn't the Callahan closed until March?

I guess what made me question it was that I drive throgh typically around 4:30-5:30PM, and traffic has been slightly heavier than normal, but the cruisers remain parked without anyone helping traffic flow.

That's why i questioned what they were there for.

[professeurpablo]

I am similarly mystified by the whole thing. Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure that I heard about the police being stationed at key intersections for the length of the closure, which does last until March. It seems extraordinarily wasteful to me. I've been through these areas multiple times recently at different times of day and haven't seen the police step out of their cruisers once. I even saw a near accident caused by someone crossing lanes at a light at Santilli Circle, and the police just sat there. Pretty outrageous if you ask me!

[Dm84]

Originally Posted by professeurpablo

I am similarly mystified by the whole thing. Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure that I heard about the police being stationed at key intersections for the length of the closure, which does last until March. It seems extraordinarily wasteful to me. I've been through these areas multiple times recently at different times of day and haven't seen the police step out of their cruisers once. I even saw a near accident caused by someone crossing lanes at a light at Santilli Circle, and the police just sat there. Pretty outrageous if you ask me!

Welcome to Massachusetts.

[Pessimist]

I have the same question about police sitting with blue lights on near the intersection of Mystic Valley Parkway (route 16) and Mystic Avenue. They aren't pulling anyone over for poor driving thats for sure. There is also a trailer with a camera parked there telescoping 30 feet into the sky. I was hoping that they were doing field research to determine how to improve the intersection…

Why would the tunnel closure cause this to happen, the cops sitting at intersections?

[luvmyhoss]

Originally Posted by Pessimist

I have the same question about police sitting with blue lights on near the intersection of Mystic Valley Parkway (route 16) and Mystic Avenue. They aren't pulling anyone over for poor driving thats for sure. There is also a trailer with a camera parked there telescoping 30 feet into the sky. I was hoping that they were doing field research to determine how to improve the intersection…

Why would the tunnel closure cause this to happen, the cops sitting at intersections?

My son told me they were down to one lane, too. What gives with the camera in the sky?

[BostonMike7]

Went through the yesterday and say that. I think it's just part of the traffic plan in case 16 backs up from the traffic to the airport.

I will say i've driven down Rt16 every day at rush hour for over a month and have yet to see any sort of traffic assistance from the details. Traffic is near normal really.

No idea about the camera in the sky...perhaps to monitor traffic backup at the exit of I-93 onto Rt16 where you would need to get off to go to the airport?