Public Hearing Set on Pittsfield's Pontoosuc Bridge Project

03:15PM / Sunday, July 06, 2025Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The state Department of Transportation is holding a public hearing on the replacement of the Pontoosuc Avenue bridge.

The in-person hearing will take place on Wednesday, July 9, at 6 p.m. in City Council Chambers.

Located next to the former Harry's Supermarket, the bridge extends over the West Branch of the Housatonic River and provides access from North Street to Wahconah Street.

The proposed recommendation is a full replacement founded on deep foundations with the existing substructure removed in its entirety. The proposed bridge and approach roadways will provide a minimum of 5-foot sidewalks.

The bridge will be closed to all modes of transportation during construction. A temporary pedestrian bridge and vehicle detour are required to provide adequate accessibility accommodations.

The detour will use Briggs Avenue for through traffic between Wahconah Street and Pontoosuc Avenue.

The bridge has been in poor condition for a decade. The $9.8 million project will be funded through the 2026 Transportation Improvement Program for the Berkshire Metropolitan Planning Organization. Construction is expected to begin in fall 2026 and take a year.

More information can be found here.

Tags: bridge project, MassDOT, public hearing,

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

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:57PM / Tuesday, January 20, 2026

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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