Bel Air Dam Removal and Traffic Control Plan Update
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City of Pittsfield and the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) have been working with SumCo Eco-Contracting to develop the traffic control plan for the Bel Air Dam removal project.
Two-way traffic will be maintained on Wahconah Street during construction, although there will be a slight lane shift implemented which will be marked by traffic cones and drums. In addition, the sidewalk on the eastern side of Wahconah Street will remain available for pedestrian use throughout the duration of construction and the previously planned pedestrian detour onto the west side of Wahconah Street will not be implemented.
A pedestrian light signal will be installed on the existing eastern sidewalk, at the construction entrance approximately 600 feet north of Wahconah Heights. This new, temporary signal will alert pedestrians regarding the need to halt if construction vehicles are exiting onto Wahconah Street. As previously planned, a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) will be permanently installed at the existing crosswalk on the northern end of Wahconah Street between Wilson and Mohawk
Streets.
As part of the revised approach to traffic management for this project, there may be times when trucks are temporarily queued along Wahconah Street as they wait to enter the construction entrance near the existing dam, which may result in temporary traffic delays for a few minutes while police flaggers manage traffic on Wahconah Street. However, the majority of truck staging will occur at the Wahconah Park parking area, where trucks will wait until they are notified to
advance to the construction entrance for sediment loading.
The Bel Air Dam removal work is expected to continue through 2026. For more information about this project, visit the Bel Air Dam project page.
