Pittsfield Finance Committee Approves BMC Intersections Design Funds

Council Vice President Christopher Connell said he'd rather have traffic diverted up to North Street instead of First Street.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Finance Committee gave its nod of approval to using some $90,000 to start redesigning the intersections near Berkshire Medical Center.

The money, from state-allocated Chapter 90 funds designated for road projects, will be the city's match to $350,000 in Federal Highway Administration funds — disbursed through the state Department of Transportation — to start the design work.

The Phase 1 design will re-examine the area, cite environmental and property impacts, update traffic counts and craft an outline of the project.

"Phase 1 is really to flesh it out so we have a better understanding," said Commissioner of Public Utilities Bruce Collingwood.

After the 25 percent design is completed, Federal Highway needs to approve it before releasing the next round of funding.

The second phase of the design will take that outline and fill in all of the details, resulting in construction plans. The second phase is expected to cost the city about $82,000 and Federal Highway will pay $327,000.

Then another round of funding will begin construction. Collingwood said he estimates construction to start in 2017 for $6 million. The construction funds won't need a city match, he said, but likely the plans will include streetscape elements that federal and state officials won't pay for, so there will be some cost to the city.

"It's a large project, so we'll keep the council up to date," he said.

Engineer Jon Dietrich, from Fuss & O'Neill, outlined the plans to council subcommittee Wednesday night. The plans call for repositioning the Charles Street and North Street intersection to align with Springside Avenue; directing traffic to the Tyler Street intersection; new signalization at all intersections near the hospital; and upgrades to the roads and sidewalks.

In the process, two sections of city roads will be discontinued — the section of North Street that breaks off from First Street directly in front of the hospital and a section of Charles Street, which will be repositioned.

Engineer Jon Dietrich explained the project to the Finance Committee on Wednesday night.

This project was cited as a need eight years ago, Dietrich said, when the City Council approved a circulation study.

That study's recommendation for changes and various other capital projects put it on the back burner.

Now, the state has agreed to a contract for the design and the city has the Chapter 90 funds ready for it.

"This project is finally coming to fruition with design," Dietrich said.

The state Chapter 90 funding is restrictive in what it can be used for, Collingwood said, and since this project is approved, he is using those funds instead of the city's capital funds.

Some subcommittee members didn't like how traffic was being continued down First Street instead of bring directed to the more commercial North Street.

But Dietrich said the circulation study showed that doing that would create more traffic backups for northbound traffic.

"We did look at that and this was the recommendation that came out of it," he said, adding that that study looked out 20 years.

City Council Vice President Christopher Connell urged Collingwood to try to sell the abandoned streets instead of just giving them away.

Pittsfield ZBA Member Recognized for 40 Years of Service

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
12:23PM / Thursday, April 25, 2024

Albert Ingegni III tells the council about how his father-in-law, former Mayor Remo Del Gallo who died at age 94 in 2020, enjoyed his many years serving the city and told Ingegni to do the same. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — It's not every day that a citizen is recognized for decades of service to a local board — except for Tuesday.

Albert Ingegni III was applauded for four decades of service on the Zoning Board of Appeals during City Council. Mayor Peter Marchetti presented him with a certificate of thanks for his commitment to the community.

"It's not every day that you get to stand before the City Council in honor of a Pittsfield citizen who has dedicated 40 years of his life serving on a board or commission," he said.

"As we say that, I know that there are many people that want to serve on boards and commissions and this office will take any resume that there is and evaluate each person but tonight, we're here to honor Albert Ingegni."

The honoree is currently chair of the ZBA, which handles applicants who are appealing a decision or asking for a variance.

Ingegni said he was thinking on the ride over about his late father-in-law, former Mayor Remo Del Gallo, who told him to "enjoy every moment of it because it goes really quickly."

"He was right," he said. "Thank you all."

The council accepted $18,000 from the state Department of Conservation and Recreation and a  $310,060 from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Safe Streets and Roads for All program.