One of the memorials on a section of Rte. 114 is for Nick Dellacroce who was 18 when he was fatally struck by a vehicle while riding his motorcycle home from work in 2021. Photo: James Rojas/WBZ NewsRadio
DANVERS, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — A section of Rte. 114 near the Danvers-Peabody line has the reputation of being one of the more dangerous sections of roadway in the state.
Data from a MassDOT Road Safety Audit shows the section of Rte.114 that connects Route 1 in Danvers and Route 128 in Peabody, has been the scene of 16 fatal accidents, 1,627 non-fatal accidents, and 3,260 property damage accidents, totaling more than 5,400 total accidents in a 19-year-period (2002 through 2021).
And since 2021, there have been more serious accidents.
Danvers officials noted that the road was designed in 1804 when horses and buggies were the main mode of transportation, and road enhancements have not kept up with the times.
Residents said it's a busy street with lots of businesses on both sides of the highway. "There's probably one major accident there every other week," said one resident.
Another said, "There's a lot of accidents, a lot of impatient drivers" on that road.
State officials have been working with residents and business owners to come up with safety recommendations that include barriers to reduce speeds and temporary median strips and guardrails to divide the traffic.
But most agree more permanent solutions are needed.
A public meeting was held last week to talk about the safety issues and concerns in that area.
Families of victims from Rte. 114 fatal accidents have also been included in the discussions.
Local business owners too have been sharing their perspectives, like Patrick, who said temporary Rte. 114 medians that have been installed limit access to his business.
"No one wants to take an extra route or an extra u-turn to get here, so it's been affecting a lot of people."
Meanwhile, State Senator Joan Lovely and State Representative Sally Kerans have both been involved in the issue and believe progress is being made.
"The short-term measures are working and we are very pleased," said Senator Joan Lovely and Rep. Sally Kerans. "People are driving at lower speeds and the new lane markings are reducing the potential for collisions. The Commonwealth, MassDOT, the Town of Danvers, the City of Peabody, and families who have lost loved ones to deadly crashes on this road have worked together to make these changes. Special thanks to the Dellacroce Family for their advocacy. We thank the many neighbors and businesses who have taken the time to share their input, and we look forward to the next phase of safety improvements to Route 114."
WBZ News Radio's James Rojas (@James RojasMMJ) reports.
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