Federal Fiscal Year 2015 Priority Corridors for the Long-Range Transportation Plan Needs Assessment

Home » Information Center » Publications » Archived Publications

The federal fiscal year (FFY) 2015 Priority Corridors Study focuses on priority arterial segments that were identified in the Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) as needing maintenance, modernization, safety, and mobility improvements. Selected for study was the Lynnway (Route 1A) and Carroll Parkway arterial segment in Lynn. This study, which may be accessed via the link below, discusses the background, data, analyses, and recommended improvements for the Lynnway and Carroll Parkway.

The study identifies a number of problems in the segment, including safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists; inadequate accommodation for bicyclists; outdated traffic signal timing; and poor traffic operations. Recommendations from the study include short-term measures to improve safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists; improved access to the waterfront; more efficient traffic operations, and accessibility improved throughout the study area to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Working with representatives from the City of Lynn, the Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s Highway Division, and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, MPO staff developed five alternative designs for long-term solutions. They include a “complete street” design that would reduce auto lanes to make way for a separated bicycle lane; a boulevard-style design that would incorporate a wide median; a plan for pedestrian bridges at several locations over the Lynnway, which would provide access to the waterfront from residential areas; and a design that would incorporate bus rapid transit (BRT) in the median. The concept of altering the traffic circulation on the Carroll Parkway to separate northbound and southbound traffic is also explored in the report. If the recommendations are implemented, the result would be an improved, modernized roadway corridor, that accommodates pedestrians and bicyclists; provides a safer travel environment for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists alike; and that better connects the Lynn’s downtown and surrounding neighborhoods to the waterfront and to each other.

Download documents: