Berkshire Mall Road Getting $10M in Stimulus Funding
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The list released by the Patrick administration on Monday includes $10,128,284 for the two-mile roadway. It is a public road operated by the Baker Hill Road District with the Berkshire Mall its only taxpayer.
The main connector between Routes 7 and 8 has been waiting for state funding for more than decade but heavy traffic has severely deteriorated the road over its 20-year existence. The surface has gotten so bad, some ambulance services have refused to use it.
Built primarily as an access road to the mall, reconstruction plans signify its importance as a connector between North and Central Berkshire's main north/south highways.
The project includes widening sections of the winding road and eliminating the need to enter into the traffic ring around the mall. Instead, the road will run straight to Route 8 with right- and lefthand turns into the mall drive. It will include full reconstruction, resurfacing, guardrails, granite curbs, traffic signals, retaining walls signage and drainage improvements, along with work on the bridge.
Construction is expected to begin in 2010, if an agreement can be hammered out with two other stakeholders bordering the byway, Pittsfield and Petricca.
Also in the funding is $2.8 million for resurfacing First Street, Barker Road, Holmes Road and Valentime Road in Pittsfield.
"These projects put stimulus money and Massachusetts people to work," said Gov. Deval Patrick. "This administration is all about investing in our future, and these funds help."
The complete list can be found here.
