MassDOT Launches Latest Statewide Travel Study

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BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has launched the latest Massachusetts Travel Study, the first comprehensive statewide data collection project in over 10 years. 
 
If invited to participate, residents across the Commonwealth will have the opportunity to share information about their travel behavior which will help MassDOT be informed regarding the future of transportation planning and service delivery.
 
Households across the state will be randomly selected to participate in the study. If chosen, household members will be able to complete a short travel diary and questionnaire that asks about various trip purposes, and travel modes taken. Once complete, every participating household member will receive a gift card for use at select retailers.
 
Invitation letters are currently being distributed to households and will continue to arrive in mailboxes across the state throughout the Spring. MassDOT encourages all who receive an invitation to participate in the study, as this data will help MassDOT make capital investment, service delivery, and transportation planning decisions. 
 
For more information about the Massachusetts Travel Study, visit https://www.mass.gov/massachusetts-travel-study  

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Pittsfield's Christian Center Seeks Community Input on Services, Name

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

Worker Dionisio Kelly, left, board member Kenny Warren, Executive Director Jessica Jones, and Food and Services Director Karen Ryan.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — It's a new year, and The Christian Center is looking at how it can serve the area in 2026 and beyond. 

This includes a possible new name fueled by community forums in late January and early February. 

"We're hoping people will come in and talk about the name, talk about what programs, what services they would like to see from us. What would be most meaningful," Executive Director Jessica Jones said. 

"Because the population in this area has changed quite a bit, and we no longer serve just the West Side. We serve people from other parts of Berkshire County. So the hope is just to make it more inclusive." 

The Christian Center was a stop on Berkshire Community College and NAACP Berkshires' Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.

The nonprofit will hold three input sessions at 193 Robbins Ave. to inform future programs and branding, and ensure that West Side voices are heard. 

The sessions will be held on: 

  • Saturday, Jan. 31, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. 
  • Thursday, Feb. 5, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. 
  • Tuesday, Feb. 10, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. 

The center dates back to the early 1890s, when it was the Epworth Mission started by the Methodist Church to serve newly arrived immigrants and help them assimilate. The Christian Center was incorporated in 1974. 

Over the decades, it has drifted away from a faith-based organization to a space for anyone who needs a meal, a warm jacket, a place to bring their child, or a meeting place. A space for everyone. 

This is what center officials wanted reflected in the name. 

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