Trucks Getting Police Escorts To Winthrop Beach
WINTHROP (CBS) - It is 10:30 in the morning and police from multiple departments are shutting down Bell Circle in Revere. It is not a motorcade for a visiting dignitary but rather dozens and dozens of huge trucks filled with sand.
The trucks are being escorted from Saugus through Revere and eventually onto narrow Winthrop roads where they dump tons of sand on Winthrop beach. It is all part of $21.5 million project to rebuild a mile and half of beach which has been decimated by decades of winter storms. But viewers want to know why so many police cruisers are needed.
One man, who lives on Route 1A in Revere, called WBZ with his concerns. "I see State Police, Revere Police, Saugus police, Winthrop Police...and I don't blame the guys. I would take the detail too if it was available. But for goodness sake are we spending our money the right way?"
The state defends the use of the police details because they say this really is a public safety issue and they say the details will help expedite the project because otherwise the trucks would be stuck in traffic all day long.
The Department of Conservation and Recreation say $2.6 million has been set aside for the police details. At the loading spot in Saugus WBZ counted nine cruisers at one time.
But homeowners on Winthrop Beach are delighted with the project.
Charlie Balliro says, "I think it is going to good for the town, good for the beach, and we needed it."
Amanda Smith also like the project. Shortsleeve asked, "what do you think of the police presence that comes with all the trucks? Smith says, "I think it is great. It gets them in and gets them out... really quick."
Debbie Simonton doesn't like all the noise. Shortsleeve asked, "do we need this kind of police presence?" Simonton answered, "I don't think so. I don't like when the sirens go off just because a truck is going by."
The trucks will keep coming until June 2015.
MORE LOCAL NEWS FROM CBS BOSTON