Operation Red Light Hopes to Ensure Safer Streets

MARBLEHEAD— The Marblehead Police Department is starting Operation “Red Light," part of Marblehead’s effort for a safe start to the school year, yields results. The effort will put additional patrols on the streets to monitor increasing traffic issues that rise up at the beginning of the school year.

Most schools in Marblehead are starting up this week, which will bring with it the usual influx of traffic, pedestrians, bicycles and school buses. Police are focusing primarily on the Pleasant and lower Humphrey Street corridors,' which see some of the town’s heaviest traffic volume and larger intersections.

Although the patrols were focusing mostly on those individuals who seem to have a hard time with the concept of stopping for stoplights, officers also came across other violations as well. Roughly thirty motorists were stopped on Thursday when the Operation began.

As the first days of school behind, patrols will be “shadowing” various school buses in marked and unmarked vehicles to ensure that people stop for the school bus while they are picking up or discharging passengers.
Officers will also be stationed in areas close to the crossing guards in an effort to re-enforce the need to stop for children in the crosswalks.

Operation Red Light will also occur sporadically during the school year.