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MassDOT Plans Replacement of South St. Bridges

The project, which is funded 80 percent federally and 20 percent by the state, covers an area of about 1,760 feet from Cole Avenue to just south of Taylor Street.

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— The state will replace two structurally unsound bridges on South Street in a couple of years, possibly resulting in a brief closure of the main route.

Last week, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation held a 25 percent design hearing for the  $18.5 million project.  It will replace deteriorating bridges that carry South Street over the Housatonic Railroad and Housatonic River. 

"Please keep in mind that the project we are presenting to you tonight is still in the design stage," Project Manager Harry Adolphe told a handful of community members.

The project, which is funded 80 percent federally and 20 percent by the state, covers an area of about 1,760 feet from Cole Avenue to just south of Taylor Street.

One lane of traffic in each direction will remain open for most of the construction, but a short-term detour may be needed. Traffic would be directed down Crofut Street to Pomeroy Avenue and then to Holmes Road, a nearly six-mile redirect.

Pedestrian access will be retained through temporary foot bridges.

David Sutherland, president of Dettinger Lumber, expressed traffic safety concerns near the project area.  The scope of work includes widening the roadways and new accessible pedestrian signals at the Gamwell intersection.

The new bridges will have two 11-foot travel lanes, two 5-foot shoulders/bike lanes with 2-foot buffers, and two at least 5-foot-wide sidewalks.

"I don't think there's anything that can be done about this, but the stoplight at Gamwell Ave., which is the further end of this project, is the site of many car accidents," he explained, adding that vehicles speed along Route 20/7 and collide with traffic backed up at the stoplight.

The bridge over the railroad has inadequate clearance, a deteriorated and corroded deck, and a rusted and cracked superstructure.  The bridge over the river has an inadequate hydraulic opening, similar conditions on its deck, rust and section loss on the superstructure, and "advanced" concrete deterioration. 

The project will require permanent and temporary easements, which are not included in the cost.  The MassDOT Right of Way Bureau is responsible for acquiring all the necessary rights on private and public lands.

Environmental permits will be required, but the bridges are not historically registered.  They were constructed at the turn of the 20th century and reconstructed in the 1930s.

The team anticipates 75 percent and 100 percent design hearings in 2026, environmental and ROW approvals in the winter of 2026/2027, and advertising for the bid in February 2027.

 

Pittsfield Remembers Lives Lost to Overdose, Underscores Harm Reduction

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:33AM / Tuesday, September 01, 2026

Mayor Peter Marchetti reads a proclamation at City Hall encouraging residents to raise awareness and lift each other up. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Dozens of people gathered downtown on Monday to remember those lost to overdose and work toward a future of zero deaths from substance use disorder. 

The Berkshire Overdose and Addiction Prevention Collaborative and its partners held a proclamation reading and flag-raising at City Hall, followed by a standout in Park Square with signs promoting the use of naloxone, harm reduction, and reducing associated stigma. 

There were 23 fatal overdoses in Berkshire County in 2025, 11 in Pittsfield. This is down 44 percent from the 41 countywide fatalities in 2024. 

While it is a significant decrease, advocates want to see that number at zero. 

"On the one hand, we're very pleased to see this significant of a decrease. This is actually the lowest number that we've had since [Department of Public Health] started collecting these numbers in 2013, but the goal is still zero," said Andy Ottoson, public health planner with the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission. 

August is International Overdose Awareness Month, the world's largest annual campaign to end overdose, remember those lost without stigma, and acknowledge the grief of families and friends left behind. September is National Recovery Month, a national observance to educate the public on the importance of substance use treatment and mental health services.

Samantha Kendall of Berkshire Harm Reduction explained that it is truly meeting people where they are, as they are, and when they are, "and I think we all do a really great job at that."

"We also want to remember that we're building a community for everybody, and systems and policies for everybody. That's really important in harm reduction work, so that's also the reason we're here today," she said.