Merrimack Valley Regional Transportation Plan
Lawrence
Lawrence In Brief
Priority Projects

Lawrence St./Park St.
Intersection (2015
TIP)

Merrimack Street (in
design)

M&L Branch Rail Trail

Route 114

Broadway/Water/Canal
St intersection

Lowell St. Bridge over
railroad

Amesbury St. Bridge
over Merrimack River

Safe Routes to School
Crash Data 2010-2012

3,373 crashes total

128 non-motorist
crashes

5 fatalities (no nonmotorists)
The Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) is a required
25-year strategy and evaluation of the transportation
system in the Merrimack Valley. The Plan assesses the
needs, impacts and performance that the
transportation choices and investments have on
mobility, safety, health, environment and the
economy. And because it is fiscally constrained,
projects must be prioritized using evaluation criteria
that takes into consideration how projects move the
region toward achieving our goals and objectives.
Safety
The City of Lawrence has the third highest number of
crashes in the region. To address the high crash
locations in each community, MVPC, MassDOT and the
communities perform Road Safety Audits, which result
in a list of short-, medium-, and long-term
recommendations. Of the 25 high-crash locations in
Methuen, RSAs have been performed on four of them
and studies on an additional nine. The Park
Street/Lawrence Street intersection is a high crash
location and is on the TIP for federal funding this year,
therefore it will be under construction next year.
Merrimack Valley Planning Commission
160 Main Street, Haverhill, MA 01852 ● www.mvpc.org ● 978-374-0519
Mobility
MassDOT has set a statewide goal of tripling the mode share of bicycling, walking
and transit. Excellent, safe opportunities for non-motorized transportation are
essential to a community such as Lawrence, because of its compact nature and
high population. It should be easier and faster in some cases to walk or bicycle
within Lawrence than drive, making it an optimal choice. Plus, walking and
bicycling reduce overall transportation costs and promote active lifestyles.
In 2014, MVPC finalized the Active Transportation Plan, which included several
recommendations for Lawrence including conversion of the abandoned railroad
corridor to a trail and on-road improvements, including those that would provide
safer bike/pedestrian access to the High School. Complete street principles are
being incorporated into projects such as the Merrimack Street project.
The Merrimack Valley Transit Authority constantly works with communities to
improve service and increase mobility. For example, in 2014 it initiated the
Downtown Lawrence service as well as service on Sundays and some federal
holidays.
State of Good Repair
Maintaining existing infrastructure is an important part of ensuring that the
transportation network works well. The most commonly known maintenance
program involves repaving roads. In 2012, 81% of the non-interstate roads in
the region were in good to excellent condition, whereas 71% of the 35 miles of
federal-aid roads in Lawrence were in good to excellent condition. Improving
mobility options also include maintaining sidewalks, ADA ramps, walk signals and
other important infrastructure that result in a safer more complete street. MVPC
will be working with communities to create an inventory of sidewalk condition,
much like pavement management.
The Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority has a capital plan, which helps
them plan ahead for replacing buses so that transit service is not disrupted.
These transit needs will be included in the RTP.
Promoting Economic Development
A goal of the RTP is to support economic growth through improving
transportation access to and within Priority Development Areas (PDA) as defined
in the 2014 Priority Growth Strategy. The City of Lawrence has four PDAs —
downtown, Malden Mills, Industrial Park and Merrimack Street. Several priority
projects include improving access to these areas.
Merrimack Valley Planning Commission
160 Main Street, Haverhill, MA 01852 ● www.mvpc.org ● 978-374-0519