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Pittsfield and state can't come to terms on the reconstruction design and cost for Dan Casey Drive. The road's been one lane for some time because of flooding.

Pittsfield and State Clash Over Causeway Project, Causing Delay

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city and the state Department of Transportation are clashing over logistics of the Dan Casey Memorial Drive reconstruction, halting its progress.

The Public Works and Utilities subcommittee on Monday heard an update on the project per the request of resident Daniel Miraglia. The often flooded area is the subject of a more than million-dollar reconstruction that includes replacing the causeway's three existing culverts.

Commissioner of Public Services and Utilities Ricardo Morales reported that the city is "in a sense kind of fighting with the state" about the design. It was supposed to go out to bid in 2022.

"We recognize the need for the culverts and Dan Casey to be reconstructed. We have been working with the state through Chapter 85. It is a required process to have the state approve the design," he said. "At the moment, we have been through five iterations of the review with the state, the last one having received sometime in the fall last year, and we're in the process of regrouping."

He explained that the comments received were "substantial" and the city doesn't have the funds for or agree with them.

"The implications those comments have is what is worrisome and we simply do not have at this moment the capital nor do we think it is the adequate way to proceed," Morales said.

The commissioner has a meeting scheduled with the District One state engineer this week and the city has $500,000 from the state's Small Bridge grant program. Chapter 85 governs the regulations and bylaws of ways of bridges.

"We have requested multiple times the extension of that grant to the state and they have granted it,"

"They basically acknowledged that the city needs money. They acknowledged that process the state is going through, the Chapter 85, is part of the delays and so that's where we stand right now."

Miraglia has concerns about public safety and culvert clogging.

"My biggest concern over the years has been public safety and the condition of the road. I frequently visit and talk with the fishermen because I'm very active in the county with fishing programs and kids programs and stocking and when trout gets stocked on Onota Lake that place is just loaded with kids. So we got cars coming down, water coming over the road, the road collapsing," he said.

"As you know, we have three culverts that are under the road. Two are collapsed the one is pretty much 90 percent clogged up and there's debris in front of that so you don't get the necessary capacity for the water coming through to the other side of the road so becomes problematic. All in all, if you do something to unclog the obstructions and you have that much more water going through that could actually possibly be dangerous also so you need to do something."

Morales said the bridge has been made safe for transportation. Currently, it is reduced to one lane where the flooding occurs with concrete barriers.



"It is a popular destination and I'm going to say right now, some ideas circulating in the community that have been brought to the city are to shut it down completely and have dead ends for fishing operations alone," he reported.

"I don't like that idea simply because the alternatives for moving traffic around Dan Casey Drive are not that great. It’s a big detour."

He clarified that the causeway is inspected yearly and that the load bearing has not been impacted.

Miraglia also submitted a petition to look at design changes for the Elm Street bridge, which was discussed and placed on file. The bridge goes over the Housatonic River and is next to the intersection of East Housatonic Street and Elm Street.

He said that since the road was narrowed there have been issues such as traffic backups and vehicles driving on the sidewalk.

"I’m looking at how do we simplify and do something a little bit differently to bring that road back to safer to drive," he explained.

Morales reported that the design was approved as part of the Complete Streets project and was implemented in November 2021. The program aims to provide safe and accessible options for all travel modes and for people of all ages and abilities.

"The reason that intersection was selected through a public process with the Complete Streets meetings back in 2019 was to do something there at that intersection," he said, explaining that it was seeing about five crashes per year and the changes have reduced the number of accidents.

Since it was completed, there were four crashes total from 2022 to 2023 that were all angled collisions.

"The head-on collisions, rear ends, and T-collisions, that has not occurred since the project and that's the aim is to reduce the severity of collision when they happen," Morales said.

"Collisions are not preventable because we're dealing with people but the reality is that the resultant factors of those collisions are no injuries and they're all as a result of angled or sideswipes."


Tags: culvert,   MassDOT,   road project,   

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Mass Wildland Fires Spiked in October

STOW, Mass. — The National Weather Service issued another Red Flag warning for all of Massachusetts, continuing a weather trend that has contributed to an unprecedented spike in outdoor fires across the state.

In Massachusetts, an average of 15 wildland fires are reported each October. This year, the month’s total capped at about 200 – an increase of about 1,200 percent over the average, and higher than the monthly numbers usually seen in the traditional early spring brush fire season. Of these fires, 100 were reported over the last seven days, and preliminary information indicates that all of them started with human activity.

"More than a quarter of this year’s brush and wildland fires took place in October," said Chief Fire Warden David Celino of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation. "They accounted for more than half of the 1,158 acres burned so far this year. The weather conditions and dry surface fuels that have contributed to these fast-moving fires are expected to continue in the days ahead. Any outdoor fire will grow quickly, become difficult to control, and require numerous firefighting resources."

"About 45 percent of Massachusetts homes are in or near wooded areas at risk for brush and wildland fires," said State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine. "In the current fire weather environment, any significant fire could put people and property in danger. In fact, many of them have started with activity around the house, like outdoor cooking and using lawn tractors and other power equipment."

"Battling wildland fires is labor-intensive, time-consuming, resource-heavy work for our firefighters," said Foxborough Fire Chief Michael D. Kelleher, president of the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts. "Dead and compromised trees, off-road apparatus, and drought-induced fire behavior all pose a heightened level of danger to our personnel. We’re asking all our residents to help us help them by refraining from any activity that could involve sparks, flames, and heat sources outdoors."

Fire officials are asking residents to:

  • Remember that open burning is prohibited statewide through January and in many communities year-round.
  • Refrain from outdoor cooking and heating. Sparks and embers from chimineas, fire pits, and grills can easily ignite dry vegetation, debris, and overhanging branches.
  • Use caution with lawnmowers, leaf blowers, all-terrain vehicles, and other power equipment. Hot engines, sparks, and spilled gasoline can ignite dry leaves and grass.
  • Dispose of ashes from fireplaces and wood stoves in a metal can, douse them with water, and cover them with a tight-fitting lid. These ashes can remain hot enough to ignite combustibles long after the fire goes out: never dump them outdoors or in the trash.
  • Extinguish smoking materials in a sturdy ashtray with water or sand. Never toss cigarette butts, matches, or other smoking materials over the edge of a balcony, stub them out on stairs or railings, or toss them in dry vegetation or debris.

Weather conditions statewide place all Massachusetts communities at elevated risk of brush fires. Many of these fires could spread to or from residential areas. Residents should monitor fire conditions closely and follow instructions from local public safety officials. Ensure that Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) are enabled on your cell phone. If your community has a local alert system, sign up to receive local warnings.

Residents should also be aware of heavy smoke conditions in some areas, which could pose health hazards to vulnerable populations and limited visibility on some roadways. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has compiled resources designed to help residents, patients, and health professionals navigate the health risks associated with wildfire smoke. Smoke could also pose driving hazards: motorists should always use caution when operating in limited visibility.

As of last week, the following significant fires were still considered active:

  • Cain Hill Fire in Salem/Lynn: currently at 140 acres and 50 percent contained
  • Middleton Pond Fire in Middleton: 188 acres and 70 percent contained
  • Pappas Fire in Canton: 32 acres and 90 percent contained
  • Wolcott Hill / Blue Hills Reservation: 2 acres and 100 percent contained
  • Curry 24 Fire in Devens: 100 acres and 99 percent contained
  • Maple Meadow Fire in Wilmington: 10 acres and 70 percent contained
  • Mt. Laurel Fire in Holden: 6 acres and 95 percent contained
  • Trader’s Way Fire in Salem: 15 acres and 50 percent contained
  • Old Forest Road Fire in North Andover: 5 acres and 30 percent contained

Officials stressed that wind, new leaf litter, and other factors can push a fire past the containment perimeter.

Throughout the last week, the Statewide Fire Mobilization Plan was activated to send 12 forestry task forces from central, eastern, and southeastern Massachusetts to support large fires in Wilmington, Salem, Canton, and Middleton, where firefighters from as far away as Stoughton were supporting local efforts.

Local coordinators from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency are in contact with public safety officials experiencing large wildfires and are prepared to support needs as they arise. The Massachusetts Air National Guard has repeatedly mobilized helicopters to conduct water drop operations in Salem and Middleton. The Department of Fire Services has sent drone units, all-terrain vehicles, and firefighter rehab units to support incident commanders and fireground personnel. The Department of Conservation & Recreation’s Bureau of Forest Fire Control and Forestry is assisting local fire departments with monitoring all active incidents, DCR fire towers are on full alert, and a temporary ban has been implemented on all open flame and charcoal fires at Massachusetts state parks.

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