BMC North Street Driveway Closing as Part of Construction Project

10:49AM / Thursday, May 30, 2024Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced that the North Street driveway to Berkshire Medical Center (opposite the hospital's main entrance) will be closed as of Monday, June 3 and will remain closed for approximately six months.

This closure is the result of the ongoing DOT traffic circle project near the Medical Center.

During this phase of the project, the primary BMC campus entrance for vehicle traffic will move to the Charles Street driveway entrance, located between the Patient Parking Garage and the Medical Arts Complex.

When traveling North and South, use Wahconah Street to Charles Street to reach both Emergency and hospital entrances.

Ambulance traffic will continue to access the Emergency Department by using Wahconah Street. This entrance is for ambulances only.

Free valet parking continues to be available both at the main BMC entrance circle and in front of the entry to the BMC Medical Arts Complex.

Refer to the map available at www.berkshirehealthsystems.org/traffic.

Tags: BHS, BMC,

iBerkshires.com Text Ads

Quick Cash

Get help fast when you need it the most! Greylock Federal Credit Union. Insured by NCUA.

www.greylock.org

RIBCO Supply

Check out our great lineup of Boss Plows, and spreaders. 2 Locations Clarksburg & Pittsfield!

ribcosupply.com

CDBG ADAMS HOUSING REHAB

Funded by a CDBG, the program supports eligible residents to make home repairs. Click for more info!

www.town.adams.ma.us

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

Pittsfield Schools Schedule Morningside, Budget Hearings This Week

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:23AM / Monday, April 06, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The School Committee will hold another public hearing for the potential closure of Morningside Community School.

On Thursday, April 9, at 6 p.m., community members will have the chance to give feedback in the Reid Middle School library. Last month, the Pittsfield Public Schools announced the possible closure of Morningside, which serves elementary grades, for the 2026-2027 school year and redistribution of its students to other city schools.

In the last couple of weeks, the district has solicited input from employees and community members through meetings at the school.

Morningside Community School was built in the mid-1970s with an open classroom concept. Morningside serves about 374 students and has a 7 percent accountability score, outperformed by 93 percent of the state.

For fiscal year 2027, the district has allocated about $5.2 million for the school. The committee has also requested a version of the proposed $87.2 million district budget with Morningside closed.

Pittsfield has another open concept school, Conte Community School, that is planned to consolidate with Crosby Elementary School, and possibly Stearns Elementary School, in a new building on the Crosby site by 2030. The status of the project's owner's project manager will be discussed on Tuesday, April 7, at 5 p.m. at Taconic High School during the School Building Needs Commission meeting.

That leaves the school officials wondering if Morningside students could have better educational outcomes if resources followed them to other nearby schools. Interim Superintendent Latifah Phillips has stressed that a decision has not yet been made.

Considerations for the school’s closure include: The feasibility of the facility to provide a conducive teaching and learning environment with an open campus design, the funding allocation needed to ensure Morningside students can have equitable learning opportunities, and declining enrollment across Pittsfield elementary schools.