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Utility workers replace a pole on West Street that was sheared off when an SUV hit it. The tracks of the SUV can be seen in the snow.

Car Shears Utility Pole Closing Pittsfield's West Street

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A portion of West Street is closed after a sport utility vehicle hit and broke a utility pole Wednesday morning.

Crews are currently working to clean up the area. The pole was broken into multiple pieces, some still attached to the wires.

There are no known injuries at the time and the area is not believed to have lost power.

Around 7 a.m., the Pittsfield Police Department received a report of a two-car accident in which one vehicle hit the pole. Unconfirmed posts on Facebook say one vehicle pulled out in front of the other, causing it to cross lanes and shear into the pole. 



"The pole got sheared down and some wires were down across West Street," Sgt. Shaun Gariepy reported.

The incident closed a section of West Street between Valentine Road and Nottingham Drive, with traffic directed down Valentine Road and Jason Street.

This story will be updated if more information is received.


Tags: motor vehicle accident,   utility pole,   

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Dalton Police Facility Report Complete; Station Future Still Uncertain

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The Public Safety Facility Advisory Committee's final report is complete but the future of the station remains uncertain. 
 
Several members of the committee attended the Select Board meeting last week, as co-Chair Craig Wilbur presented four options delineated in the presentation — build on town-owned land, build on private land, renovate or repurpose the existing buildings, and do nothing. The full report can be found here
 
According to the report, addressing the station's needs coincides with the town facing significant financial challenges, with rising fixed costs and declining state aid straining its budget. 
 
These financial pressures restrict the town's ability to fund major capital projects and a new police station has to compete with a backlog of deferred infrastructure needs like water, sewer, roads, and Americans with Disabilities Act compliance.
 
In June 2024, Police Chief Deanna Strout informed the board of the station's dire condition — including issues with plumbing, mold, ventilation, mice, water damage, heating, and damaged cells — prompting the board to take action on two fronts. 
 
The board set aside American Rescue Plan Act funds to address the immediately dire issues, including the ventilation, and established the Public Safety Facility Advisory Committee to navigate long-term options
 
Very early on it was determined that the current facility is not adequate enough to meet the needs of a 21st-century Police Facility. This determination was backed up following a space needs assessment by Jacunski Humes Architects LLC
 
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