Concert Traffic Fills Residential Streets Near Xfinity Center

MANSFIELD (CBS) -- Traffic apps are being blamed for funneling Xfinity Center concert goers onto side streets and causing gridlock.

"It was mayhem," said Willow Street resident Gene Fornier, who watched as frustrated drivers even went the wrong way on his street.

Concerts aren't new to those living nearby the Xfinity Center, but many are beginning to believe that apps like "Waze" are sending drivers onto residential roads to supposedly to avoid traffic.

It was so crowded that cars began going down the road in the wrong direction, according to one resident.

"Some guy yelled out the window to my daughter 'my GPS brought me down this street,'" said Willow Street resident Barbara.

A small private way on her property pops up on Waze and someone used it.

"There were cars coming down here, Parker Street, peeing in my back yard. It was the most disgusting, vile thing, and I've lived here for 26 years," she said.

Beer cans were also thrown on the lawn and she said someone also started throwing wooden boards they picked up from her yard.

Residents complained about a town meeting on Wednesday night. The town hopes to deal directly with the app services to avoid similar scenes in the future.

"There is a way that on concert days that they can actually try to contact them and let them know so that they are not re-routing them through there," said Board of Selectman chairman Mike Trowbridge.

If that doesn't work they're considering using more barriers to allow only residents to enter certain streets, as well as more parking restrictions.

Neighbors who know these roads say the drivers are misguided.

"I said to them, 'if you would have kept going on the highway, you would have already been there because they are pushing you people in.' She said, 'but this is the way [the app] sent us!'" said Gloria Penesis.