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Daily Digest
Steve Decker cleans up in front of BankNorth on Wednesday.
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More Snow
The Berkshires received several inches of snow this morning, but not enough to close schools, unlike yesterday's sleety mess. Temperatures will drop into the 20s this afternoon. A few more snow showers are expected through the weekend. |
Duff'em If You've Got'em
 North Adams Regional Hospital went smoke-free Monday — so did all its sister sites, from Sweet Brook to Northern Berkshire Family Practice to the Women's Exchange. No ashtrays, no smoking: No butts about it. |
Wanted: Eagle Eyes
MassWildlife's annual eagle count runs Dec. 31 to Jan. 14. Anyone sighting one of the regal birds in Massachusetts is asked to participate.
Send date, time, location and town of eagle sightings, number of birds, whether juvenile or adult and observer's contact information to Mass.wildlife@state.ma.us. |
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 iBerkshires accepts submissions about local events, news and opinion pieces. There are openings for freelance work, too, for qualified candidates. E-mail tdaniels@iberkshires.com to find out more. |
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Other StuffMars Rovers Mark 5 Years
 Spirit and Opportunity have been trekking the red planet for half a decade. Spirit hit the 5-year mark on Sunday; Opportunity will on Jan. 24. |
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Major Roadwork In Adams' FutureBy Jen Thomas - January 28, 2008
ADAMS - Several major road projects are ready to begin construction as town and state officials have partnered up to move forward with long-awaited improvements.
According to Town Administrator William Ketcham and Department of Public Works Director Thomas Satko, construction on Route 116 (Orchard Street) and the Leonard Street bridge are slated for the spring and summer months and plans for the extension of the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail have been established.
Repairs to a 7,900-foot section of road from the Cheshire town line north to near where Orchard Street meets Commonwealth Avenue will be undertaken by the state Highway Department and will hopefully begin in the spring, said Satko. The road, which was also the site of water main construction by the Fire District earlier this year, will be repaved, sidewalks and a 300-foot retaining wall will be rebuilt and minor drainage issues will be addressed.
"Right now, the sidewalks are black top and they only extend totally down one side of the street. They'll be replaced by concrete and widened to five feet [to meet Americans with Disabilities Act specifications]," said Satko.
Stairs that lead up to residences along Orchard Street may need to be removed and then replaced, said Ketcham, and stone walls that were built by property owners will need to be moved back because they are encroaching on state property.
Additionally, as a result of public hearings, concrete retaining walls along one side of the street will have stone veneers, which are much more aesthetically-pleasing for homeowners living opposite them, he said.
The total project will cost about $1.7 million, according to MassHighway.
Orchard Street, which is owned by the state but is maintained by the town during winter months, will be under the town's ownership following construction, Satko said. An agreement struck between the town and MassHighway will see the state take over maintenance of Howland Avenue (Route 8) from Specialty Minerals Inc. to the North Adams city line in exchange for the town's full-time maintenance of Route 116.
"When they're done, they'll give us a nice new road," Satko said.
Ketcham said the state may consider a reconfiguration of Howland Avenue to help assuage snow plowing issues that have local residents up in arms.
"There may be some kind of reconfiguration for the future, perhaps some narrowing," he said.
Patchwork paving on Orchard Street after water main work last year. |
The Leonard Street bridge will also see construction this spring, as the town expects the aging bridge to get a complete $990,700 makeover. Contracted to Petricca Industries Inc., the project is expected to begin in April and be completed in October.
"It'll be a big change for the residents in that area," said Ketcham.
During the duration of the construction, parking will be suspended on both sides of the street on Bellevue Avenue and detours will be set up to keep traffic off the bridge.
The town's other big project is the extension of the Ashuwillticook Rail trail past Cook Street and north to Lime Street. The approximate 1.2-mile extension of the popular walking and biking trail will cost an estimated $1 million and is still in the planning stages.
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| Thank you for the clarification. I had been told that it was a year round maintenance trade-off. I'm not being down about the project...we should take anything we can get....but I'm just so frustrated by the lack of any proactive, interactive discussion on town economic development strategy or growth initiatives. Presentations from community development regarding the projects they spend state and federal monies on are nice but after the fact and inadequate without active networking with and solicitation of new business or commercial development. The town reacts to the odd call coming in but we don't go out and pound the pavement in search of new opportunities. Ask the board of selectmen or administrator when the last time was that they went to a chamber of commerce function or economic development meeting locally.....I've been to practically EVERY one for my job and I NEVER see or hear anyone from Adams. North Adams, Pittsfield, Williamstown and south county communities are ALWAYS represented.....not Adams. As a taxpayer, it is VERY frustrating. | | from: Amused | on: 01-29-2008 |
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| While it is great news to hear that work will be done on Orchard St (116) and the bridge finally fixed on Leonard, it is not so good news for those that live in the area of Bellevue Ave and the cemetary. With the bridge being closed and 116 being worked on, the only way to any road will be Bellevue Ave. That street will certainly be very busy during the spring, summer and fall! | | from: | on: 01-29-2008 |
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| Amused: there is a new development here...the town will take care of Rte 116 ALL YEAR LONG instead of just in the winter months. Right now this is a state road and the only reason why the town maintains the road during winter months is because of the high school being located on 116. The town of Adams can get there faster thann if they had the state plow and salt the road. | | from: sassafrass | on: 01-29-2008 |
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This article is not new news, it is an update on future road construction projects for the Town of Adams.
The agreement the town and state has for rt 116 at the current time is only for winter road maintenance (ie snowplowing and sanding). At the current time the town does rt 116 which is a state highway and the state does Howland Ave. which is the towns road. After reconstruction the town and the state will swap the two roads and the town will do all maintenance to rt 116 and the state will do the maintenance to Howland Ave. | | from: +fact+ | on: 01-28-2008 |
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| Considering the town has already had an arrangement with the state (10 years I believe) to take care of 116 in lieu of Rte 8 Howland Ave, this is not new news. I hate when they try to pass something like this off as a new development. The fire district had to coordinate their efforts with the state so the pipes could be underground first. That's the bigger news...those new water pipes just made the land opened for development up on East Orchard Terrace and up 116 all the more attractive....and that's what the town needs.....new homes and new taxpayers adding to the coffers. | | from: Amused | on: 01-28-2008 |
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