The bridge was built in 1952 over the Hoosic River.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The state has ordered the Brown Street bridge closed.
Residents were alerted the closure of the span that connects River Street to West Main Street by the city's CodeRed alert system around 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The bridge is closed "indefinitely."
The bridge is blocked off on both sides though Brown Street is still accessible from West Main Street.
The 26-foot steel structure's poor condition is well known and it was listed with 19 other bridges in the Berkshires requiring repairs or replacement using funding from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Act. Brown Street is in line for nearly $1 million for superstructure repairs.
According to MassDOT's bridge inventory, the Brown Street bridge has a deck rating of 7 and a superstructure rating of 3. Bridges are deemed structurally deficient with a rating less than 4.
As of Tuesday, the bridge's information in the system had last been updated on Feb. 23.
MassDOT has had the bridge in preliminary design stage for rehabilitation since 2013 with an estimated project cost of $5.6 million.
The state Department of Transportation was expected to invest more than $3 billion in repairing bridges, addressing more than one-third of the structurally deficient bridge backlog. Last year, it had initiated more 146 bridge repair or replacement projects on 181 bridge structures.
Massachusetts has 444 bridges classified as structurally deficient, according to the National Bridge Inventory, and has identified more than $15 billion in repairs for 4,901 spans.
Mayor Jennifer Macksey confirmed on Tuesday that state inspectors had closed the bridge and said she would be able to speak on the bridge Wednesday.
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DiLego Jewelry to Close After Over 90 Years in Business
By Daniel MatziBerkshires correspondent
Sisters Pamela Costine, left, and Cynthia Lamore have been operating the store since their aunts retired in 1987. Both started working in the business as teens. Lamore's decided it's time to retire.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — DiLego Jewelery Store, the family-owned business that has been a staple of North Adams for nearly a century, will be closing this summer.
The closure was announced on the store's Facebook page late Sunday night, where it immediately drew comments of remembrance and well-wishing.
Cindy Lamore, whose great uncle Frank DiLego opened the store on Main Street in the late 1930s, said the shop will cease operations following her retirement, slated for June 30. A 20 percent off Mother's Day sale will begin immediately, with increasing discounts leading up to the closing date.
It took Lamore "a couple of years" to reach the decision to close. Witnessing the passing of lifelong friends or their struggles with debilitating illness prompted her to reconsider her priorities, especially considering the extensive time devoted to running a small business.
"You really question what you're waiting for," she reflected.
While recognizing that changing consumer habits have led to a decrease in jewelry and watch sales in recent years, Lamore stressed that her decision to close was a personal one. She and her business partner and sister, Pamela Costine, wanted "to do it on our terms," she said.
Comments on Facebook praised the store's customer service, and friends, family, and customers alike reminisced about buying jewelry for special occasions, stopping in for watch repairs, and the perennial rite of childhood for many: getting ears pierced.
The closure was announced on the store's Facebook page late Sunday night, where it immediately drew comments of remembrance and well-wishing.
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