Lenox "idle free" campaign lauded as national model

By Anthony FydenPrint Story | Email Story
Rick Gregg poses with an "idle free" poster (file photo)
The Town of Lenox's "idle free" campaign was lauded on Tuesday by the Patriot Chapter of the Association for Commuter Transportation during a conference sponsored by the federal Environmental Protection Agency. The Lenox program, initiated by environmentalist Rick Gregg last year, seeks to raise awareness about the pollution caused by idling automobiles, with the hope of getting folks to shut off their cars when they run into a shop or park for any reason for more than a few minutes. The award cited Lenox's "grassroots program to protect public health and the environment." "The campaign, which has increased awareness of the harmful effects of idling and reduced air pollution in Lenox, is a model for how a community can reduce air pollution," the award stated. According to an EPA statement, other ACT honorees included: "US Representative Michael Capuano is a consistently strong voice for Massachusetts, fighting to protect the state’s share of federal transportation dollars. He is also a tireless advocate for the Urban Ring and Silver Line projects and is working to secure funding for more transit projects, including $1 million for improvements at the Lechmere MBTA station. "Campus Area Transportation Management Association (CATMA), in Burlington Vt., pioneered an innovative arrangement with the Chittendon County Transportation Authority to provide students, faculty and staff of the University of Vermont with unlimited access to authority buses, successfully increasing bus ridership by 75 percent and reducing the number of student cars on campus by 4 percent. The association is one of New England’s Best Workplaces for Commuters. "Metro West Area Public Transportation Map provides information on public transportation routes in the 17 communities that comprise the Metro-West/495 Transportation Management Association. The map also highlights places of interest that are accessible by public transportation and provides essential information in both English and Portuguese. "Rte 128 Business Council, Waltham Mass. provides shuttle buses that help reduce air pollution and traffic congestion in suburban Boston. Its Alewife Shuttle provides more than 85,000 people with direct service between the Alewife MBTA station and businesses along Rtes 2 and 128 each year. Its Bentley College Citibus provides a direct link between Bentley’s Waltham campus and downtown Boston. The Route 128 Business Council is one of New England’s Best Workplaces for Commuters. "The Boston Public Health Commission’s Walk this Way program teaches safe pedestrian behavior to children in Boston and encourages them to walk to school. Timberland Company, in Stratham, NH offers employees up to $3,000 to offset the purchase of a new hybrid vehicle, helping reduce air pollution in this community. Already, three employees have acquired hybrid cars through this program, and seven more have signed up." “ACT is pleased to work with such a vibrant industry committed to reducing emissions and improving our region’s air quality through transportation management,” said David Straus, President of the Association of Commuter Transportation, Patriot Chapter. “ACT recognizes the importance that each individual and organization no matter how small or large plays in educating the public about the importance of making available and using an alternative mode of transportation.” Also at the conference, the EPA launched the 2005 "Best Workplaces for Commuters" campaign "to recognize the growing number of employers across New England promoting carfree alternatives for commuters." "Through transit subsidies, biking incentives and other offerings, these companies are spurring thousands of New England workers to leave their cars at home in favor of alternative commuting modes," according to Linda Murphy, director of EPA New England’s Office of Ecosystem Protection. "And, that is leading to twin benefits of improved air quality and reduced traffic congestion,” Murphy said, noting that the employees with commuter benefits are eight times more likely to use transit than those without them. The Best Workplaces for Commuters campaign began in 2003 when EPA joined forces with a dozen leading New England government and business organizations dedicated to reducing traffic, improving air quality and cutting global warming emissions while helping to make commuting less stressful and costly. According to the EPA statement, "air pollution from cars contributes to ground-level ozone pollution, known as smog. Over the past five years, New England has had an average of 25 days per summer when air quality was unhealthy due to high levels of smog. This pollution affects everyone, but some people are especially sensitive to it, including children and adults who are active outdoors and people with respiratory diseases such as asthma. Exposure to high ozone levels can cause breathing problems and aggravate asthma and other pre-existing lung diseases." “Traffic congestion costs the Boston area nearly $1.4 billion a year,” Murphy added. “The average Boston peak commuter spends 54 hours a year stuck in traffic and the average Boston household spends 16 percent of its income on transportation. This is more than families spend on food.” To be eligible, companies must offer employees at least one major commuter benefit, such as $30 per month in transit passes, vanpool subsidies or cash instead of subsidized parking spaces. Also, they must offer three other commuter benefits such as carpool matching, bike lockers and compressed works. For more info about the program, visit http://www.bwc.gov .
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Former Harry's Supermarket Under Construction for Restaurant

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Construction is underway to transform the former Harry's Supermarket into a restaurant. 

Late last month, the Conservation Commission greenlit some tree pruning on the property. New windows and a new door can be seen in the front of the building. 

"It's a substantial renovation that's currently underway here," Brent White of White Engineering said, speaking on behalf of the applicant and owner, Huajie Zhu. 

A fire gutted the longtime Wahconah Street supermarket in 2023, and the following year, Zhu purchased the property for $460,000 two years ago to build a restaurant with hibachi in the existing footprint of the more than 100-year-old building. 

White explained that the project has been ongoing for over a year, and the Community Development Board granted the property a waiver to reduce the minimum required number of parking spaces so that additional spaces aren't needed.  

He noted that, looking at the site plan, there is very little room to do so. A mirror will be installed near the sharp turn on Bel Air Avenue to alleviate traffic concerns. 

Pruning will be done on trees in the southeast corner of the existing paved parking lot, as a number of branches are hanging over. The new owners also intend to patch, sealcoat, and re-stripe the parking lot. 

A fire tore through the building less than an hour after the supermarket closed for the day three years ago. An automatic sprinkler system is required for the new use. 

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