South County Construction Operations

STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) announced crews will be conducting daytime and overnight hour guardrail repair, drainage work, bridge repair, tree trimming, and deck pour operations at various locations and times on I-90 eastbound and westbound during the week of Monday, April 8.

Lane closures will be in place during the construction operations and traffic will be able to travel through the work zones.  The schedule for the work and lane closures will be as follows: 

Otis/Blandford

• Guardrail repair operations will be conducted nightly on I-90 westbound between mile marker 21.0 and mile marker 27.0 from Monday, April 8, through Friday, April 12, from 7:00 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. the next morning. The work is expected to conclude by 5:30 a.m. on Friday, April 12. 
• Drainage work will be conducted on I-90 eastbound between mile marker 21.0 to 23.0 on Monday, April 8, from 7:00 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. the next morning.

Blandford

• Bridge repair work will be conducted nightly on I-90 eastbound and westbound at mile marker 26.1 from Monday, April 8 through Friday, April 12, from 7:00 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. the next morning. The work is expected to conclude by 5:30 a.m. on Friday, April 12

Russell

• Tree trimming work will be conducted on I-90 westbound between mile marker 33.0 to mile marker 36.0, from Monday, April 8 through Friday, April 12, from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day. 

Stockbridge

• Deck pour operations will be conducted on I-90 westbound at mile marker 7.6 on Monday, April 8, from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 

Appropriate signage, law enforcement details, and messaging will be in place to guide drivers through the work area. 

Drivers traveling through the affected areas should expect delays, reduce speed, and use caution.  

All scheduled work is weather dependent and subject to change without notice. 

For more information on traffic conditions, travelers are encouraged to:  

• Download the Mass511 mobile app or visit www.mass511.com to view live cameras, travel times, real-time traffic conditions, and project information before setting out on the road. Users can subscribe to receive text and email alerts for traffic conditions. 
• Dial 511 and select a route to hear real-time conditions.?   
• Follow @MassDOT on X, (formerly known as Twitter), to receive regular updates on road and traffic conditions.  

Lee Elementary Students Channel their Ninja Spirit

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
04:38PM / Monday, March 23, 2026

 

The American Ninja Warrior was at the school to talk about confidence and plans for a NinjaFit playground in Lee. 

LEE, Mass. — Students at Lee Elementary School discovered how to channel their ninja spirit both inside and outside the classroom during a Neighborhood Ninjas presentation on Friday.

 

The motivational assembly explored how to not fear failure, overcome negative thoughts, be confident in your abilities, and not let other peoples thoughts defer you from your goals. 

 

We are so quick to doubt our ability; rather focus on the process. Ability will come from focusing on the process, Neighborhood Ninjas Executive Director Alex Katz said. 

 

Individuals have to decide that even if others do not believe in them or see their vision, they have to believe in themselves, she said. "It's not about never failing; it's about getting back up, trying again, and learning from each attempt."

 

Katz showed students her journey of overcoming her fear of heights, which inspired her to take up the ninja warrior sport, in which athletes run a timed course of physical challenges. The entertainment/reality competition originated in Japan and is probably best known here as "American Ninja Warrior."

 

On the big white screen, she projected her numerous attempts to lache — swinging from one bar to another — until she succeeded the 17th time and attributed her previous failures to fear. 

 

"I am a big fan of doing stuff that scares you safely. That means we practice it. A lot of people think ninjas don’t get scared. We hear things like 'ninjas are just fearless'... but we do get scared," Katz told the students.