In Auburn and Oregon: Route 20 crackdown's mission is to educate, save lives

If you were driving Wednesday on Route 20 and you felt that there were more police monitoring traffic than usual, you are not paranoid. You were driving through an ambitious initiative to keep the 3,365 miles that makes up Route 20 safe.

The Auburn, Shrewsbury and Sturbridge police departments, in conjunction with hundreds of law enforcement agencies through the country, participated in the “Highway 20 Speed Enforcement Project.”

Started by the Iowa State Patrol, the “Highway 20 Speed Enforcement Project” is a collaborative effort among state police, state highway patrol and local police agencies from across the country to promote traffic safety and reduce crashes across the 12 states that US 20 runs through.

This initiative runs nationwide for six days throughout 2024, one day each during the months of January, March, May, July, September and November.

During these select dates, the police departments will deploy extra patrols specifically to Route 20 for the purpose of traffic law enforcement that will focus on various traffic law violations that have contributed to the increasing numbers of fatal car accidents along the highway.

The first date for 2024 was Wednesday.

In a 16-hour stretch Wednesday on Route 20, four Auburn police officers conducted 81 stops, issued 72 citations (which includes warnings), gave seven verbal warnings and made two arrests (for driving with a suspended license and outstanding warrants).

In one case, a car with half its windshield obstructed by a sheet of ice, was stopped for numerous motor vehicle offenses including unsafe operation of a motor vehicle.

“It was very productive,” Deputy Chief Richard Scott Mills of the Auburn Police Department said. “I’m really happy how it turned out.”

Auburn Police Chief Todd R. Lemon thought it was a great initiative, so he brought it up to fellow police officers during a staff meeting and everyone agreed, Deputy Chief Mills explained.

“Year in and year out, whether it’s through social media or any community-type interaction, the number one consistent complaint from residents and town administration alike is speed,” Lt. Mills said. “One of Chief Lemon’s focus areas is increased traffic enforcement. We have a full-time traffic officer that works during the day but we’re hoping to put on another one that works evening.”

Sturbridge police officers stopped more than 70 vehicles, issued 51 written and 25 verbal warnings (for a total 76 warnings) and two criminal complaints.

“The Sturbridge Police Department responds to approximately 600 crashes a year with a high percentage of them being on the Route 20 corridor,” Sturbridge Police Chief Earl Dessert said. “The goal of the Route 20 initiative is to reduce speed related crashes and injuries. Crashes in certain areas of Route 20 in Sturbridge tend to be the crashes where injuries are reported. This is primarily because the speeds tend to be higher on this road."

Sturbridge police added an eight-hour patrol to their regular Route 20 patrol. Dessert pointed out that no monetary citations were issued.

“The Sturbridge police officers did a great job and I’m sure their efforts, not only yesterday but every day, help reduce crashes on the Route 20 corridor,” Dessert said. “The goal is, certainly, to reduce crashes. It’s not hit in their wallets.”

In Shrewsbury, police assigned an officer on Route 20 for a four-hour period on Wednesday.

In 2023, the Shrewsbury Police responded to 175 crashes on Route 20 (Hartford Turnpike), 21 with reported injury. In addition, officers conducted 938 motor vehicle stops on the roadway for various infractions, as part of an ongoing effort to reduce crashes and increase safety.

The 3,365 miles that make up Route 20 stretch from its eastern terminus in Boston at Kenmore Square, to its western terminus in Newport, Oregon, less than a mile from the Pacific Ocean.

In Central Massachusetts, Route 20 has a diverse mix of businesses and residences with a changing character driving from west to east.

Route 20 in Brimfield, Sturbridge, Oxford and Auburn

Route 20 through Brimfield is a reminder of two extremes — the devastating force of Mother Nature (which was experienced firsthand when a fatal tornado struck June 1, 2011) and the world-famous Brimfield Antique and Collectible Show that sets up three times a year.

Route 20 in Sturbridge is all about restaurants, antique shops, gifts shops, Cracker Barrel, Walmart and Old Sturbridge Village.

Route 20 in Oxford has the home of Ebenezer Learned, a brigadier general in the American Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, while Route 20 in Charlton has nothing of historical significance whatsoever.

Route 20 in Auburn has its share of car dealerships, fast-food chains and Sheldon’s Harley-Davidson.

Route 20 in Shrewsbury

Route 20 in Shrewsbury has its share of greasy spoons and rest stops. It’s a very commercial road through the Worcester area with commercial traffic and a lot of trucks. Its biggest claim to fame is that Jerry Seinfeld drank coffee and ate oatmeal with fellow standup Aziz Ansari at Brody’s Diner for a taping of “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" in 2014.

Brody's Diner also won the distinction of being named the "Best Breakfast Place in Central Massachusetts" in a Worcester Telegram & Gazette reader poll.

Route 20 in Northborough and Marlborough

Northborough has the biggest stretch of residential homes on the route, while Marlboro is the most congested with its multiple technology parks, hotels, strip malls and practically every fast-food chain you can think of.

In addition, Route 20 in Marlborough also had the former Williams Tavern, a place where George Washington stopped twice.

Route 20 was the route by which the first mail delivery was made from New York to Boston in 1673, according to the Northborough Historical Society.

Early in the American Revolution, Colonel Henry Knox’s “noble train of artillery,” from Fort Ticonderoga to the Continental Army camp outside Boston, traveled on Route 20 in Northborough and Marlborough.

'We’re trying to modify behavior'

When it comes to the “Highway 20 Speed Enforcement Project,” Lt. Mills and Chief Dessert both agree that the underlining goal of the safety campaign is to educate motorists to use caution on the roads and possibly remind them of the basic driving rules.

“One of the goals of traffic enforcement is education. People aren’t aware of what the speed limit (is) or they are not aware that they are driving that fast. And then there are other people who are very aware,” Lt. Mills said. “You hope that if you give someone a warning it, kind of, stays with them. What are we trying to do? We’re trying to modify behavior. That’s really it.”

“The goal is to educate the public on certain driving behaviors that contribute to crashes, such as speeding, distracted driving, improper lane changes, signal violation and impeded operations,” Dessert said.  “When you get to the eastern side of town, once you cross after the state police barracks and you have dual lanes going all the way through and you got Walmart. You got cold storage facilities. You got Cracker Barrel. Those are all dangerous intersections and the speed is a little elevated through there. So we educate people to slow down. They’re coming off the interstate there. Sometimes, they think they’re still on the interstate and they’re going 65 in a 45, 65-plus in a 45.”

From the archives: A tour of Route 20 in Central Massachusetts:

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Route 20 crackdown's mission is to educate, save lives