Councillors Concerned Over Concert Traffic

By Adam Swift

The new 8,500-seat Stage at Suffolk Downs concert facility is scheduled to host its inaugural shows this weekend, with a three-day festival featuring Steve Lacy, LCD Soundsystem, and Boygenius.

Several city councillors have expressed concerns that the concerts will create more traffic in Revere, especially on Revere Beach Parkway when the concerts end.

“It’s my understanding there will be traffic after the summer concerts end and it will be directed into Revere onto Revere Beach Parkway from what I was told, and which is going to create more traffic on the Revere side,” said Councillor-at-Large Gerry Visconti.

Visconti said the Orient Heights and East Boston community took part in a community meeting about the traffic and raised concerns about the traffic funneling through their neighborhood, Visconti said.

“It’s being directed into Revere Beach Parkway, which is right into the Revere neighborhoods, which I really have a concern about,” said Visconti.

The councillor added that he was concerned that he and other councillors were not made aware of traffic mitigation plans and patterns for the concerts.

Councillor-at-Large Steve Morabito noted that the council was informed when the plans were underway for the outdoor stadium, a point that Visconti did not dispute. Visconti said his issue was with the potential traffic.

“As far as the feedback I am getting from residents in Revere, they are excited about entertainment in Revere,” said Morabito. “I understand that we need to look at the traffic situation, but at the same time, I wouldn’t want to discourage an event like this.”

Visconti said he had no issue with the concerts themselves.

“My problem is that East Boston had a community meeting specifically about the traffic they didn’t want going through their area … so they are pushing it all towards the Revere side,” said Visconti.

Councillors Marc Silvestri, Anthony Cogliandro, and Richard Serino also expressed some concerns about the potential traffic when the concerts end.

“I go to a lot of concerts and a lot of sporting events, and that’s a lot of people to be funneling out one way into our city,” said Cogliandro. “Not only that, we have to think of our resources for our police department which is going to be guiding the traffic out.”

A spokesperson for the Stage at Suffolk Downs said the developer, the HYM Investment Group, and the promoter, The Bowery Presents, have worked in close partnership with the Boston Police Department, Revere Police Department, Massachusetts State Police and MBTA Police on a traffic management plan to aid the arrival and exit of guests at The Stage at Suffolk Downs. The spokesperson added that for the upcoming Re:Set Festival scheduled for June 16th-18th, the Sumner Tunnel will be open and the MBTA Blue Line will be operating at full capacity.