2024 Regional Transportation Plan Under Development

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC) has begun work on developing the next Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) for Berkshire County. 
 
The RTP has a 20-year planning horizon and is updated every four years. The plan serves as the County's overarching transportation planning document and is required to ensure the region remains eligible to receive federal transportation funding. The RTP employs a systematic approach to evaluate the performance of the transportation system, to identify "needs" or deficiencies in the system, and to develop solutions that best address any existing gaps to meet the region's needs.
 
Berkshire County residents are invited to give their input to help develop the RTP.
 
Three public information sessions have been scheduled to provide an opportunity to learn more about the RTP purpose, process, and products. The first will be held at the Berkshire Athenaeum in Pittsfield on Wednesday Nov. 2, from 5:30-6:30pm. 
 
The second will be held at the North Adams City Hall on Thursday Nov. 10, from 5:30-6:30pm. The third session will be held on Tuesday Nov. 16, at the Great Barrington firehouse from 5:30-6:30pm. All meetings will also be broadcast live as a
Zoom webinar. Spanish interpretation for these webinars is available by request.
 
 

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Berkshire Innovation Center Expansion Aims to Bring Jobs, Innovation to Pittsfield

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Innovation Center broke ground on its roughly 12,000-square-foot expansion on Thursday, surrounded by state and local officials, business leaders, and industry partners who helped bring the project to fruition.
 
The approximately $8 million expansion will bring advanced manufacturing capabilities, new jobs, and additional opportunities for technology companies to the William Stanley Business Park, speakers at Thursday's ceremony said. 
 
The importance of collaboration among state and local officials and the private sector in fostering innovation, creating jobs and driving economic growth was a central theme throughout the event.
 
It was no coincidence that the groundbreaking brought together representatives from government and the private sector, including Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, state Sen. Paul Mark, state Reps. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, Leigh Davis and John Barrett III, alongside business leaders and industry partners from the Berkshire Innovation Center, Electro Magnetic Applications and Myrias Optics.
 
"Massachusetts is now the mecca of research in the world. Nothing comes close to what we do," Neal said, highlighting several of the state's research and innovation centers, including Berkshire Medical Center, Kendall Square and UMass Medical.
 
"These are the breakthrough moments that are happening, and we have a chance to witness them," he said. 
 
The BIC and the tech hub that has been created around advanced optics is going to build on creating new opportunities in an organic way by using the region's success and leveraging it for more, Driscoll said. 
 
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