image description — Residents have had to take a lengthy detour to get from one side of Onota Brook to the other because of the closure of the bridge on Peck's Road. Their travel time could be reduced as early as late March with the arrival a new bridge next month.

New Peck's Road Bridge Coming Soon

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:35AM / Thursday, January 23, 2025Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A new Peck's Road bridge will be installed in February after six months of closure.

On Wednesday, the city reported that progress is "well underway," with the bridge structure expected for delivery in early February and installation in the following 2-5 weeks.

"Several unexpected delays have occurred during this project due to the unplanned, sudden closure of the one lane crossing as required by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (DOT) due to observed structural failures. This necessitated significant changes to the project plans, specifications, and approach, transitioning from a phased, side-by-side installation to a single, complete bridge installation," the city wrote in a press release.

"Despite these challenges, progress is well underway. The bridge structure has been fabricated and is ready for delivery. DOT has approved shop drawings for installation, and utility companies are on track to complete their preparatory work this week."

The bridge was abruptly closed to traffic in July following a MassDOT inspection found six areas of deterioration.

Work includes the demolition of the old bridge, which happened last fall, and reconstruction of the span over Onota Brook that had been reduced to one lane for five years. A detour takes travelers from Peck's Road to Onota Street, Vin Herbert Boulevard, and to Valentine Road.

Rifenburg Construction is set to mobilize by the end of next week and the bridge structure is expected to arrive during the week of Feb. 3. Installation will reportedly take two to three weeks in favorable weather conditions and up to four to five weeks if weather interruptions occur.

The bid was awarded to the contracting company for $1,535,420 with a 10 percent construction administration budget and a 10 percent contingency budget, bringing the total estimated cost to $1,842,504.

"We appreciate the public’s patience and understanding as we navigate the challenges ahead. Further updates will be shared as the project progresses," the city wrote.

During the inspection on July 22, MassDOT found:

settlement in the wearing surface along the east curb, full length by 3 feet wide by up to 2-inches deep (This aligns with bay 17)
buckling of beam 18 along with a gap between the deck and the beam forming up to 1/4 inch
beam 17 bottom flange is distorted up to 1/4 inch full length
beam 16 bottom flange is distorted 3/4 inch full length. (Beam has several holes in the flange and web)
beam 14 has holes at the north end and the web is distorted 1 1/4 inch out of the plane
beam 13 web is distorted 5/8 inch out of the plane

For more information, contact the Department of Public Services and Utilities at
dpw@cityofpittsfield.org or by calling 413-499-9330.

Tags: bridge project,

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Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan

12:05PM / Wednesday, December 24, 2025

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that an out-of-state adult visitor who spent time in Boston and Westborough earlier this month was diagnosed with measles and was present in a number of locations.

This could have resulted in other people being exposed to measles virus.

The visitor arrived at Logan International Airport on American Airlines flight 2384 from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 11 at 2:39 p.m. They stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston-Westborough in Westborough and departed the state on Dec. 12 via Logan at 9:19 p.m. on JetBlue flight 117 to Las Vegas.

DPH is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local partners to identify and notify those who may have been exposed to measles from this individual.

"Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. "This current situation serves as an important reminder of the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our communities. While Massachusetts has not had a measles case this year, 2025 saw the highest number of nationwide cases in more than a decade — nearly 2,000 in 44 jurisdictions, and sadly, three deaths.

"Fifteen years ago, measles had been considered eliminated in the United States, but that tremendous progress is at risk. Vaccines are one of the most important public health interventions ever — they are safe, effective, and lifesaving."

Measles is very contagious. However, the risk to most people in Massachusetts is low because the vaccination rate in the state is high. People who are not immune and visited any of the locations on the following dates and times may be at risk for developing measles.

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