Road construction seems to never end in Massachusetts. Without it, we'd be in pretty tough shape. There's the construction workers, and the people in the lime vests. It's more than just directing traffic, it's more to keep workers safe from injury, really.

Massachusetts Road Work

Under state law, road work sites across the Commonwealth are required to hire police details to direct traffic on roadways with high traffic volumes and speeds over 45 mph.

Under a 2008 reform law, the state started allowing civilian flaggers to direct traffic on smaller, less busy roadways. -mass.blog

Construction is widespread in Massachusetts it seems. There is always a project going on, which I suppose is your tax dollars at work. Well, sometimes. It all depends if the work being done is by public or private sector.

We all see the cops in Massachusetts directing traffic whether it be for a water main break or Eversource is doing power line work. Did you ever wonder how much they earn?

What's The Deal In Massachusetts With Road Details?

I caught up with Lt. Marc Maddelena from the Pittsfield Police Department and asked him a few questions on how the whole thing works.

Who Works The Outside Detail?

Police, Fire, or civilian flaggers. Retired law enforcement and/or Sherriff's office can as well. When a job is requested, qualified employees can sign up for a detail. Some municipalities starting offering work to firefighters due to a combination of an increase in road details and lack of manpower.

Public vs. Private Sector

A common misnomer is that the city or town in which the job is taking place pays for the outside detail. This is not the case. Unless there is a water main break, or something that municipality government is responsible for, a private company hires either police, fire, or civilian flaggers for the job.

Private Company Examples

Eversource

Verizon

Asplundh

National Grid

Do Police Carry on an Outside Job

Active law enforcement can carry.

How Much Money Do Police Earn on an Outside Detail?

Depending on the city or town, the rate for police is anywhere from $50-$60 an hour.

Civilian Flaggers

The rate for civilian flaggers on a federally funded job is about $44 an hour as of 2018.