Natural Gas Lines Being Replaced in North Adams

Crews have been replacing natural gas lines along State Road and Franklin Street.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Crews have been digging up and laying pipe along State Road and Franklin Street over the past few weeks.

It's all been part of a project to upgrade natural gas lines in the city.

Christopher Farrell, Berkshire Gas corporate communications and government relations, said most of the projects should be complete within the month of September.

"These upgrade projects are undertaken to update our facilities to assure the integrity of our underground distribution system and to avoid any future road construction or disruption because of gas leaks," Farrell said.

Heavy construction can be found on Franklin Street, which Farrell said is being undertaken in conjunction with the city's Department of Public Works. He said it is an upgrade and replacement of natural gas mains and services from the intersection of North Eagle Street to the Clarksburg town line.

He said this project should be complete by Sept. 1.

State Road has also been undergoing heavy construction. That project started at the intersection at Roberts Drive and will go to the Williamstown line. Two miles of natural gas main are being upgraded to provide additional natural gas service to Williams College, said Farrell.

That project should be wrapped up during the last week of September.

Farrell said there will be another infrastructure upgrade on Ashland Street starting the week of Sept. 8. Some 1,700 feet of natural gas mains and services will be replaced and upgraded.

Farrell said this project should end by the week of Oct. 6.  

Cost, Access to NBCTC High Among Concerns North Berkshire Residents

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
06:15PM / Thursday, April 25, 2024

Adams Select Chair Christine Hoyt, NBCTC Executive Director David Fabiano and William Solomon, the attorney representing the four communities, talk after the session. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Public access channels should be supported and made more available to the public — and not be subject to a charge.

 

More than three dozen community members in-person and online attended the public hearing  Wednesday on public access and service from Spectrum/Charter Communications. The session at City Hall was held for residents in Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg and North Adams to express their concerns to Spectrum ahead of another 10-year contract that starts in October.

 

Listening via Zoom but not speaking was Jennifer Young, director state government affairs at Charter.

 

One speaker after another conveyed how critical local access television is to the community and emphasized the need for affordable and reliable services, particularly for vulnerable populations like the elderly. 

 

"I don't know if everybody else feels the same way but they have a monopoly," said Clarksburg resident David Emery. "They control everything we do because there's nobody else to go to. You're stuck with with them."

 

Public access television, like the 30-year-old Northern Berkshire Community Television, is funded by cable television companies through franchise fees, member fees, grants and contributions.

 

Spectrum is the only cable provider in the region and while residents can shift to satellite providers or streaming, Northern Berkshire Community Television is not available on those alternatives and they may not be easy for some to navigate. For instance, the Spectrum app is available on smart televisions but it doesn't include PEG, the public, educational and governmental channels provided by NBCTC.