Residents have had to take a lengthy detour to get from one side of Onota Brook to the other because of the closure of the bridge on Peck's Road. Their travel time could be reduced as early as late March with the arrival a new bridge next month.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A new Peck's Road bridge will be installed in February after six months of closure.

On Wednesday, the city reported that progress is "well underway," with the bridge structure expected for delivery in early February and installation in the following 2-5 weeks.

"Several unexpected delays have occurred during this project due to the unplanned, sudden closure of the one lane crossing as required by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (DOT) due to observed structural failures. This necessitated significant changes to the project plans, specifications, and approach, transitioning from a phased, side-by-side installation to a single, complete bridge installation," the city wrote in a press release.

"Despite these challenges, progress is well underway. The bridge structure has been fabricated and is ready for delivery. DOT has approved shop drawings for installation, and utility companies are on track to complete their preparatory work this week."

The bridge was abruptly closed to traffic in July following a MassDOT inspection found six areas of deterioration. 

Work includes the demolition of the old bridge, which happened last fall, and reconstruction of the span over Onota Brook that had been reduced to one lane for five years. A detour takes travelers from Peck's Road to Onota Street, Vin Herbert Boulevard, and to Valentine Road.

Rifenburg Construction is set to mobilize by the end of next week and the bridge structure is expected to arrive during the week of Feb. 3. Installation will reportedly take two to three weeks in favorable weather conditions and up to four to five weeks if weather interruptions occur.

The bid was awarded to the contracting company for $1,535,420 with a 10 percent construction administration budget and a 10 percent contingency budget, bringing the total estimated cost to $1,842,504.

"We appreciate the public’s patience and understanding as we navigate the challenges ahead. Further updates will be shared as the project progresses," the city wrote.

During the inspection on July 22, MassDOT found:

• settlement in the wearing surface along the east curb, full length by 3 feet wide by up to 2-inches deep (This aligns with bay 17)
• buckling of beam 18 along with a gap between the deck and the beam forming up to 1/4 inch
• beam 17 bottom flange is distorted up to 1/4 inch full length
• beam 16 bottom flange is distorted 3/4 inch full length. (Beam has several holes in the flange and web)
• beam 14 has holes at the north end and the web is distorted 1 1/4 inch out of the plane
• beam 13 web is distorted 5/8 inch out of the plane

For more information, contact the Department of Public Services and Utilities at
dpw@cityofpittsfield.org or by calling 413-499-9330.

 

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