MassDOT On Schedule with Williamstown Multipurpose Trail

Print Story | Email Story

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation said this week that operations are continuing as scheduled for the new pedestrian and bike shared-use path in Williamstown.

The remaining construction operations that need to be completed on this project include work on the parking area at Syndicate Road, paving the intersections on Route 7, final pavement markings on roadways and on the path, plantings, wetland replication areas, seeding and final cleanup. The project is weather dependent and subject to change without notice.

The project, which began in Feb. 2021, is anticipated to reach full beneficial use and be substantially complete in May 2023. At this time, the trail remains under construction and is closed to the members of public at all times. Trespassing in an active construction zone is prohibited and unsafe. 

The Town of Williamstown was responsible for the design of the bike path and will take ownership of the trail once it has been completed.

The project, once completed, will start on Syndicate Road and connect to North Street (U.S. Route 7) and then end at approximately 200 feet north of Main Street (Route 2). The scope of work consists of the construction of a paved/unpaved hard-packed shared-use path along land owned by the town, Williams College and other landowners that generally follows the southern bank of the Hoosic River.

The estimated cost of the project is $6 million. The contractor is J.H. Maximillian of Pittsfield.

MassDOT thanks the members of the public for their continued patience, and requests that they stay off the trail to allow crews to safely and efficiently complete scheduled work without interruptions and keep everyone safe.


Tags: MassDOT,   Mohawk Trail,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Pittsfield Man Sentenced On Multiple Rape, Indecent Assault Charges

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — On Wednesday, May 15 Douglas Agyeh, age 44 ofPittsfield, pleaded guilty to 23 charges. 
 
Agyeh pleaded guilty to:
  • 5 counts of Indecent Assault and Battery on a Person Over 14
  • 9 counts of Rape of a Child with Force
  • 9 counts of Rape of a Child, Aggravated by Age
The Defendant was sentenced to 10 to 12 years for the charges of rape and 3 to 5 years concurrent for the charges of indecent assault and battery. The Defendant will serve his sentence in state prison.
 
According to a report, in 2021 Agyeh was employed at a residential school for youth. Over a period of several weeks Agyeh was responsible for monitoring a student's safety as they (singular) slept.  During this time, he raped the student. In a separate incident, Agyeh was also found guilty of sexually assaulting a student under the guise of helping the student fold their (singular) laundry.
 
The Defendant was originally set to stand trial on January 30, 2023 but fled to Canada in attempt to avoid justice. The Defendant was arrested as he entered Canda. The Berkshire District Attorney's Office worked closely with the United States Department of Justice and Canadian authorities to successfully extradite the Defendant back to Massachusetts. Authorities allege the Defendant was traveling to Canda in an attempt to return to Ghana, Agyeh's native country.
 
The Great Barrington Police Department served as the lead law enforcement agency in the case. The Department of Justice and Canadian law enforcement agencies assisted the Berkshire District Attorney's Office, including the State Police Detective Unit, in the extradition of the Defendant.
 
Assistant District Attorney Andrew Giarolo represented the Commonwealth. Kristen Rapkowicz served as a victim witness advocate on behalf of the Berkshire District Attorney's Office. Berkshire County Kids' Place and Violence Prevention Center played a central role in the investigation. Emily Zoltan was the Multidisciplinary Team Leader in coordinating the law enforcement response.
View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories