Stoneham is lucky to have well trained, experienced "Traffic Directors" they professionals and know very well the dangers of their job. I applaud the police department for empowering these employees to assist in moving traffic. If you have ever sat on Washington St. waiting to get out onto Spring St. you would understand and appreciate the fact that these Traffic Directors do a great job keeping traffic moving. If you're annoyed that you get stopped occasionally to let other traffic through, well then find a different way to your destination, you're probably driving too fast anyway. Thinking about disregarding anTraffic Director? My understanding is they can issue motor vehicle citations as well. It's great to hear they are keeping Stoneham safe and moving!

The "guest" is right. They are traffic directors!! Not crossing guards there is a difference. If you go to the selectman's office you can look at the Dunkin Donuts site plan on Franklin st where the selectman MANDATE that Dunkin Donuts hire a traffic director at Stevens st to cross children and "direct traffic"

So which intersections do you two work at?

I agree with the original post. If they can direct traffic safely and that is within the "MANDATE" then so be it. However, choose people that don't make things worse. I'll revisit this site when there is an accident due to such incompetence.

And please tell me on such a public website- they can issue citations??? Traffic directors can issue citations? I can easily make a call to city hall to check on that.

Thank you for the wonderful lesson on navigating Stoneham streets!

I agree with Dale. Just because they are called "traffic directors" doesn't mean they should be out there directing traffic. That should be done by police department. I commute from Melrose down Franklin Street every morning and the "traffic director" (if that's what you want to call them) near the Dunkin Donuts screws up the flow of traffic by letting everyone exit from that side street. That person would stop traffic on Franklin Street to let one car out. To me that makes no sense. Maybe they should all go to "traffic director"school and learn how to direct traffic. All they are is some glorified crossing guards. Maybe they should focus on crossing kids and not directing traffic.

The Traffic Directors are employed by the police department to direct traffic. So yes that duty is performed by police employees. They are well trained, and many have presided over the same intersections for many years. Your complaints just reinforce that they are out there doing their jobs. Safely crossing students and pedestrians, and helping to pull cars in que on the major side streets is a huge help. By consequence, and also good, doing so slows the traffic on the major roadways. People commuting in the morning travel way too fast as it is.

"Resident" you are so misinformed that you should just stop talking before you look even sillier. Did a little digging. You have provided several pieces of misinformation. However, given the level of misinformation with which you are armed I no longer find it worth going back and forth with you.

Thank you for the SeeClickFix submission. The police department employs civilian traffic directors, not crossing guards, at the start and end of the school day to cross pedestrians and direct vehicle traffic. At the Washington and Spring Street intersection, the traffic director's role is to cross pedestrians and to monitor the traffic on Washington Street. As traffic backs up on Washington Street, the traffic director will stop traffic on Spring Street to allow vehicles to exit.

At the intersection of Franklin and Stevens Street, the traffic director's role is to cross pedestrians and to monitor the traffic on Stevens Street. As vehicles begin to queue, the traffic director will stop traffic on Franklin Street and allow the vehicles to exit. Having a traffic director at this post was a requirement of the Town for the Dunkin Donuts to be built at this intersection.

I hope you had the pleasure of being on franklin st. this morning? Because i laughed at how quick the town responded to your complaint. I hope they keep the traffic guard working today, because she'll add an extra hour to your commute!
I hope you realize that the guard that was there previously, worked there for the 4 years ive been driving my kids to highschool and she always kept the flow of traffic moving.
Maybe this will serve as a lesson to complain only about a real problem, something that requires emergency status, because this one was just as bad as the ones where people complain about trash barrels or hedges needing trimming.
Oh and i applaud the person that hires the crossing guard for the Dunks area, because i think she was picked specially for you.