City eyes changes to Mass Street from 14th to 23rd; community meeting coming up

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The City of Lawrence is studying options to change a stretch of Massachusetts Street with a goal of better accommodating drivers, people on foot, wheelchair users, bicyclists and transit riders.

The city is conducting a multimodal corridor study on Mass from 14th Street south to 23rd Street, according to a recent news release.

The road is part of the priority bikeway network under the Lawrence Bikes Plan. The study will include “safety, efficiency, and equity considerations for all modes of transportation,” according to the release.

“A roadway reconfiguration can improve safety, calm traffic, provide better mobility and access for all road users, and enhance overall quality of life,” according to the city website about the project. “A road reconfiguration typically involves converting an existing four-lane undivided roadway, like Massachusetts Street, to a three-lane roadway consisting of two through lanes and a center two-way left-turn lane (TWLTL).”

August Rudisell/Lawrence Times This photo looks toward the northwest at the intersection of 14th and Massachusetts streets.

Potential safety benefits of a road reconfiguration include a reduction of rear-end and left-turn crashes; shorter distances for pedestrians to cross traffic; an opportunity to install pedestrian refuge islands, bike lanes, on-street parking and transit stops; traffic calming; more consistent speeds and more, according to the project website.

City staff members will hold an open house from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 25 in the library of Liberty Memorial Central Middle School, 1400 Massachusetts St. The library is on the second floor and there is an elevator available.

“At this open-house style of meeting, people are free to come and go as they please to best accommodate their busy schedules,” according to the project website. “The project team will be available to review project information, answer questions, and receive feedback from community members.”

There will soon also be an online survey available on the city’s website at lawrenceks.org/community-engagement/mass-street-improvements/.

Visit this link and click the green bookmark icon to add this event to your Google, Apple, Outlook or other calendar.

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