PEABODY — Attendees were dissatisfied during the final Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Public Information Meeting regarding the Route 114 Improvement Study on Wednesday.
The study, which addressed long-term safety in the Danvers/Peabody area, presented two options for potential changes to the roadway.
This follows an initial meeting held in August which discussed the effects of short-term changes MassDOT had made to the roadway as well as the impact of potentially adding a median.
Paul Nelson, a transportation planning manager from the consultant firm working on the project, HTNB Corporation, went through the potential changes that could go into effect, along with the differences between the two alternatives.
One option features the addition of three roundabouts along Route 114 and a multi-use lane for bikes and pedestrians, while both would put a median through the roadway. Nelson also presented an analysis of how the changes would affect traffic during peak volume hours, which in some areas would improve, while in a couple others, like the Walmart Driveway, conditions would worsen.
Rachel Kelly from MassDOT’s Office of Transportation Planning opened up the meeting to questions and comments from the participants, during which many residents, along with state representatives Sally Kerans and Tom Walsh, voiced their displeasure with what they heard.
Kerans expressed her disconcertment with MassDOT’s presentation and the surprise of seeing extensive changes to the roadways within their long-term plans, commenting that she was “aghast” by what was being shown.
She further conveyed frustration with the virtual format of the meeting, saying, “this needed to be in person. I’m sorry that MassDOT, who’s been terrific up to this point, couldn’t make that happen … this isn’t tenable or useful.”
Walsh agreed, adding his feeling of unease with the proposed multi-use lane and the safety hazards that could come with biking on Route 114.
Kelly responded to concerns about these lanes by explaining that not everyone owns a motor vehicle and it is MassDOT policy to provide space for bikers and pedestrians on all roadways throughout the state.
Last steps for the Long-Term Safety Improvements Study are upcoming, with recommendations and a final report scheduled to arrive soon.
