Pittsfield's East Street Redevelopment Gets Additional $8M By Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:18AM / Friday, September 13, 2024 | |
 The reconstruction of East Street has received an $8 million boost from the federal government. The project is being bid this week. |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The $14.6 million redevelopment of East Street has gotten a boost from redistribution funds.
Last week, the Healey-Driscoll administration announced the state Department of Transportation had received an additional $171 million in funding from the Federal Highway Administration as part of the annual funding redistribution process.
"These redistribution funds represent federal transportation funds that were unable to be used for programs in various states to which they were originally allocated," a press release explains.
"As part of this redistribution, MassDOT will add or increase funding for 12 infrastructure projects across Massachusetts."
Pittsfield is the only Berkshire County community to receive redistribution funds, with about $8,338,000 allocated to overhaul the well-used corridor.
A MassDOT representative reported that the funds are available immediately and must be obligated by Sept. 25. It will be advertised for bidding on Sept. 14 with work beginning in the springtime.
The total estimated construction cost for this project is approximately $14,597,000.
The project will widen the corridor from the intersection of East Street and Lyman Street to the intersection of East Street and Merrill Road, including landscaping and pedestrian amenities. It aims to improve safety, accessibility, and aesthetics with minimum environmental impacts while supporting Pittsfield as a gateway city.
All associated construction work qualifies for the funding.
Each year, the FHWA determines how much funding for the fiscal year will go unspent and seeks requests for projects that can use additional funding. It is a "use it or lose it" proposition and projects must be shovel-ready.
This year's redistribution is higher than the last four years, which averaged $94.3 million.
The City Council paved the way for the project in July, approving the takings of 12 permanent easements, 14 temporary easements, two layout alterations, and a permanent parcel.
A total of $10,000 will be paid out to property owners for permanent easements, with 765 East Street LLC receiving almost $4,000 for two parcels of land. Temporary easements will cost over $73,000, with 765 East Street LLC reviewing the largest award of more than $11,600.
There is also $1,680 in damage awards to two property owners for permanent takings.
The Federal Highway Administration is funding 80 percent of the total construction costs with MassDOT picking up the additional 20 percent. It is scheduled to be programmed with the Transportation Improvement Program in fiscal 2026.
A public hearing was held in 2021, when the project engineer described the current sidewalk conditions as "deteriorating," citing a lack of proper Americans with Disabilities Act compliance on a curb cut at Lyman Street looking east, and a confusing unused driveway that is blocked by concrete barriers among other issues.
The corridor also has insufficient drainage which calls for a new stormwater drainage system included in the proposal.
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