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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'Together for Our Warriors' Seeks to Bridge Gaps in Veteran Services

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — For many veterans, finding resources can be a struggle because of fragmentation among veteran services. 

 

New nonprofit Together for Our Warriors Inc. is trying to streamline that search by creating a central source for information about the services available to them.

 

Veterans can find themselves struggling to navigate available services resulting in some deferring help or falling through the cracks of the system that provides a broad range of services that are stretched thin, said Director Kyle Kuffel. 

 

Veteran resources are available throughout the region, but information about those services is often fragmented among government agencies, nonprofits and other organizations that do not always communicate with one another, said Bernard Tremblay, the nonprofit's board and operations president.

 

The nonprofit was incorporated in March, and its 501(c)(3) status was officially approved on May 12, Kuffel said. 

 

They eventually hope to produce a printed resource guide that can be distributed at veteran events and resource fairs, Tremblay said. 

 

As the organization continues to expand, Kuffel said he hopes it can eventually hire its own Veteran Services Officer accredited by the state and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. 

 

The position would help veterans navigate and file claims while easing pressure on an already overburdened system, he said. 

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