Pittsfield Announces Street Improvement Project Schedule for May 19-23

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City of Pittsfield has announced a schedule of street improvements to take place from May 19 through May 23.

From May 19 to May 22, crews are scheduled to apply loam and seed to Orlando Avenue, Backman Avenue, Daniels Avenue, and Jason Street. During the same period, structures on the initial section of Newell Street, between East Street and Lyman Street, will be raised.

On Friday, May 23, the first course of paving is planned for Newell Street, specifically the section between Elm Street and Lyman Street, as well as for Meadow Lane.

The city has prohibited on-street parking on the aforementioned streets between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. while this work is underway.

In addition to the city’s projects, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) will be conducting overnight milling operations from 7:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. on the following dates and locations:

• May 19 and May 20 on First Street, between East Street and the Berkshire Medical Center entrance.
• May 21 and May 22 on South Street, from the East/West Housatonic Street intersection to South Mountain Road.

Overnight parking will not be permitted on these streets during the specified hours.

From May 21 to May 23, MassDOT will also be adjusting structures on North Street, from the Berkshire Medical Center entrance to the Lanesboro town line.

Motorists are advised to exercise caution when traveling in these areas. The announced schedule is subject to change due to weather conditions.

Colombian Artist Celebrates Immigrant Stories in New Pittsfield Mural

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
06:49AM / Saturday, October 24, 2026

Artist Laura Barrios explains the  inspiration of the mural, of immigrants building new lives in the Berkshires.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The walls along the Intermodal Center's train platform are a little more colorful following the unveiling of Let It Shine's third mural at that location, transforming a space once surrounded by bare concrete into a vibrant display of public art.

 

The unveiling on Thursday, marks the close of Let It Shine's 2026 outdoor public art season and the third year of its emerging artist program, said Mill Town Foundation Program Director Andy Wrba. 

 

Let It Shine's Emerging Artists Mentorship program was established in 2024 to support aspiring artists in the community by providing guidance, hands-on experiences, and opportunities to create large-scale public art.

 

"This mural, along with all the murals, as part of this emerging artist program, and even more broadly, all the murals that you see downtown throughout Pittsfield shows that we care about the cultural scene and we care about the creative people that live and work in our city," Wrba said.

 

The new mural, painted by Colombian artist Laura Barrios, celebrates immigrants who have built lives and found a sense of home in Berkshire County.

 

Barrios has been working on the piece for the last two months alongside mentor artist, Jesse Tobin McCauley. 

 

"It's a homage to the immigrants who work and make a home in the Berkshires … this is a very personal experience too because I am an immigrant," Barrios said in her speech.