Pittsfield Plans to Replace Bridge Over Daniels Brook
PITTSFIELD, Mass.— The city plans to replace a deteriorating bridge on Hancock Road over Daniels Brook.
Last week, the Conservation Commission continued a notice of intent application for the project to its November meeting to get more information on water flow.
"It's a great project. We like it. We just want to make sure it's done correctly as well," Commissioner Jonathan Lothrop explained.
Pittsfield proposes replacing the crumbling bridge with a 17-foot-wide hydraulic span underneath to an embedded precast box culvert with a span of 26 feet. The .37 work area extends about 200 feet along Hancock Road, north of 615 Hancock Road.
Contractors from Fuss & O'Neill presented to the commission. A budget was not provided.
"I think overall, this is going to be a really great improvement for traffic traveling over this bridge and for wildlife living under this bridge," Natural Resources Scientist Megan Woytik said.
The 1930 bridge is showing cracking, spalling, exposed steel supports, and section loss. It was determined that repairs would retain deteriorated components and yield fewer long-term benefits, while a full replacement also improves hydraulic capacity and aquatic organism passage.
Engineers pointed to exposed, corroding reinforcement and an existing guardrail that is no longer embedded into the structure. Rigid barriers were placed on either side of the road so that vehicles can't impact the rail.
One representative disclosed that they felt uneasy driving over it that same day.
The goals of the project are to replace the bridge for safe roadway access, increase the hydraulic capacity from 17 feet to 26 feet, restore streambed continuity, and improve the water quality.
During construction, there will be a full closure of that section of the road, which has residential properties. City Engineer Tyler Shedd said in the best-case scenario, this could start in May or June of 2027 and last between three and six months from start to finish.
"A similar scale project would be the Pecks Road [bridge], which was delayed with utility relocation, but I think they still ran about eight months with a three-month-ish delay," he said.
Components include the new box culvert and flared wingwalls, roadway reconstruction, two deep-sump catch basins and scour protection, and new guardrails and side-slope improvements.
Plans raise the road's profile just under a foot to move the low point away from the structure.
The perennial Daniels Brook flows south to Onota Lake, about 1,400 feet downstream. It supports wild native Brook Trout, and MassWildlife requested October through April protection for spawning, egg development, and water quality.
Lothrop, who requested the continuance, said Pittsfield has seen significant issues with water bypasses being undersized and becoming problematic and requested to see a flow study.
Tags: bridge,
