Massachusetts Route 114

Massachusetts Route 114 is a 33.00-mile (53.11 km) east–west state highway in Essex County, connecting the industrial city of Lawrence with the historic coastal city of Salem. The route serves as a primary arterial through several suburban communities and passes by significant historical sites, including the Salem Witch Trials memorial and the campus of Endicott College. It intersects with several other major state routes, including Route 125 and Route 1A, and provides a key transportation link in the North Shore region.

Route description

Beginning at its western terminus at the junction with Route 28 in downtown Lawrence, the route heads southeast along South Union Street, crossing the Spicket River and passing near the Lawrence Heritage State Park. It continues through Methuen, where it is known as Pelham Street, before entering North Andover. In North Andover, it follows Chickering Road and Massachusetts Avenue, skirting the northern edge of the Phillips Academy campus and providing access to the Stevens-Coolidge Place. The highway then proceeds into Andover, running concurrently with Route 133 for a brief stretch along Lowell Street. East of Andover, Route 114 travels through Middleton and Danvers, where it serves as a main commercial thoroughfare and passes near the Rebecca Nurse Homestead. It continues into Peabody, running along Andover Street and intersecting with U.S. Route 1 and Interstate 95. The final segment traverses Salem as Highland Avenue, passing the Salem Woods and the Greenlawn Cemetery before terminating at a complex junction with Route 1A, Route 107, and North Street near the Salem Harbor.

History

The corridor now followed by Route 114 has origins as a series of colonial-era paths and turnpikes connecting settlements in Essex County. In the 19th century, sections were improved as part of the Middlesex Turnpike and the Salem Turnpike, facilitating trade between the Merrimack Valley and the port of Salem. With the advent of the state highway system in the early 20th century, the route was designated and numbered, with its alignment formalized by the Massachusetts Department of Public Works. Significant realignments occurred in the mid-20th century, particularly in Danvers and Peabody, to accommodate post-war suburban growth and the construction of U.S. Route 1 and Interstate 95. The route has been the scene of historical events, including proximity to the Danvers State Hospital and the 1914 Lawrence textile strike.

Major intersections

The entire route is in Essex County. {| class="wikitable" |- ! Location ! mi ! km ! Destinations ! Notes |- | Lawrence | 0.00 | 0.00 | Route 28 (South Broadway) / South Union Street | Western terminus |- | Methuen | 2.5 | 4.0 | Route 113 (Haverhill Street) |- | North Andover | 5.2 | 8.4 | Route 125 (Chickering Road) |- | Andover | 8.7 | 14.0 | Route 133 west (Lowell Street) | Western end of concurrency with Route 133 |- | | 9.2 | 14.8 | Route 133 east (Andover Street) | Eastern end of concurrency with Route 133 |- | Middleton | 13.5 | 21.7 | Route 62 (North Main Street) |- | Danvers | 16.8 | 27.0 | I-95 / US 1 – Boston, Portsmouth | Exit 50 on I-95/US 1 |- | Peabody | 20.1 | 32.3 | Route 35 (Lynn Street) |- | Salem | 25.5 | 41.0 | Route 107 (Highland Avenue) |- | | 33.00 | 53.11 | Route 1A (North Street / Bridge Street) / Salem Harbor | Eastern terminus |}

See also

* Massachusetts Department of Transportation * List of state highways in Massachusetts * North Shore (Massachusetts)

Category:State highways in Massachusetts