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Pittsfield restaurants like The Lantern will be able to open to indoor dining on Thursday.

Pittsfield Board of Health OKs Indoor Dining

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Indoor dining will return to Pittsfield on Thursday, Dec. 3.
 
The Board of Health on Wednesday rescinded the ban imposed on Nov. 12 and issued new guidance that changes the maximum seating to six people per table from 10. 
 
Restaurants will also be required to retain a name and phone number or email from one person in each dining party for contact tracing, as recommended by the state.
 
Director of Public Health Gina Armstrong said the ban was intended to be temporary and that it has helped stop the cluster spread of COVID-19.
 
Within the past week, she said most of the general community spread has not associated with restaurants.
 
"We felt we had really good outcomes from this intervention in temporarily suspending indoor dining services," she said at Wednesday's meeting. 
 
Indoor dining had been suspended in response to a surge in cases of the novel coronavirus that had been traced to several private parties and large groups in restaurants.
 
But a group of local restaurateurs called on Mayor Linda Tyer to lift the ban, saying their businesses had suffered financially. Tyer met with the group over Zoom on Tuesday and the compromise on table numbers was reached. There also was an agreement to keep the coalition, started by Craig Benoit of the Hot Dog Ranch, in the loop on COVID-19 guidance. 
 
Benoit and representatives from Mazzeo's, Proprietor's Lodge, Panera Bread, and Applebee's also called into the Board of Health meeting to express their concerns.
 
Armstrong said suspending indoor dining was an obvious and immediately aggressive way to address the clusters of infection from spreading into the overall community.
 
"We saw a dramatic increase in cases shortly after Halloween," she said.
 
Just before the Nov. 12 order was issued, the city experienced a spike of more than 100 cases within a 14-day period.
 
Armstrong said this is a very dramatic transition rate for a community that was doing very well.
 
The cluster trend related to indoor dining and private parties took off quickly, she said, and was difficult to manage with contact tracing alone.
 
Contact tracing interviews found that some of the super-spreader house parties involved employees from several different local restaurants.
 
As a result, some restaurants voluntarily closed for up to a week because of the transmission between employees or customers.
 
Armstrong said she was happy to report that the city has gotten the surge under control, though the rates of infection are not as low as they were in the summer or in April.
 
With the reopening of indoor dining, restaurant owners will be expected to police their own operations on COVID-19 guidelines with diligence. This includes enforcing the use of masks, social distancing, increased sanitation, and obeying capacity regulations.
 
Board Chairman Dr. Alan Kulberg stressed masking guidance for people seated indoors at tables after the ban is lifted.
 
The original state Department of Public Health guidelines for people seated at tables stated that masks can be removed after being seated, he said, but Gov. Charlie Baker revised this order to certain scenarios for when masks can be removed after being seated, such as when a person is eating or drinking.
 
Kulberg suggests that diners replace their masks after food is taken from their table and before the food arrives.
 
"Every little bit helps," he said.

Tags: COVID-19,   restaurants,   


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MassDOT Project Will Affect Traffic Near BMC

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Prepare for traffic impacts around Berkshire Medical Center through May for a state Department of Transportation project to improve situations and intersections on North Street and First Street.

Because of this, traffic will be reduced to one lane of travel on First Street (U.S. Route 7) and North Street between Burbank Street and Abbott Street from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday through at least May 6.

BMC and Medical Arts Complex parking areas remain open and detours may be in place at certain times. The city will provide additional updates on changes to traffic patterns in the area as construction progresses.

The project has been a few years in the making, with a public hearing dating back to 2021. It aims to increase safety for all modes of transportation and improve intersection operation.

It consists of intersection widening and signalization improvements at First and Tyler streets, the conversion of North Street between Tyler and Stoddard Avenue to serve one-way southbound traffic only, intersection improvements at Charles Street and North Street, intersection improvements at Springside Avenue and North Street, and the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of First Street, North Street, Stoddard Avenue, and the Berkshire Medical Center entrance.

Work also includes the construction of 5-foot bike lanes and 5-foot sidewalks with ADA-compliant curb ramps.  

Last year, the City Council approved multiple orders for the state project: five orders of takings for intersection and signal improvements at First Street and North Street. 

The total amount identified for permanent and temporary takings is $397,200, with $200,000 allocated by the council and the additional monies coming from carryover Chapter 90 funding. The state Transportation Improvement Plan is paying for the project and the city is responsible for 20 percent of the design cost and rights-of-way takings.

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