Bel Air Dam Removal and Traffic Control Plan Update

02:05PM / Thursday, June 19, 2025Print Story | Email Story

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.

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Pittsfield Council Revisiting DEI Office Restructure

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
04:11PM / Tuesday, October 13, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The conversation about the DEI office renaming that was halted by a charter objection will resume on Tuesday.

The City Council will discuss a request from Mayor Peter Marchetti to restructure the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

It proposes to rename the DEI office to the Office of Equity, Access, and Opportunity and merge the Human Rights Commission and Affirmative Action Committee into an Equity, Access and Opportunity Commission.

The Ordinance and Rules Subcommittee supported the changes in August, and in September, Ward 2 Councilor Cameron Cunningham delayed the vote with a charter objection.

Pittsfield's City Code prohibits charter states that "if a single member present objects to the taking of the vote, the vote shall be postponed until the next meeting of the city council." It also stipulates that at least four members must object if it is an emergency measure.

Cunningham also submitted a petition, which was referred to O&R under Rule 27, to replace the DEI Office and the Human Rights Commission with an equity, access, and opportunity coordinator in the Department of Community Development, with formal complaints and Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action functions assigned to Human Resources.

At the last meeting, he spent more than an hour querying the mayor and chief diversity officer about functions and effectiveness of the department, wanting more quantitative data. Cunningham proposed an ordinance that he says keeps Pittsfield's commitment to equity, access, and opportunity, "refocuses it on measurable results for our residents, and delivers it at a fraction of the current cost."

Under this petition, the equity, access, and opportunity coordinator would be a $60,000 to $80,000 per year position.

The DEI Office's fiscal year 2027 budget was about $200,000 after cuts during budget season; $106,700 for the chief diversity officer and $58,000 for the administrative assistant. The coordinator would be appointed by the director of community development and the mayor.

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