Downtown is getting spruced up. Or should we said "mapled up"? After most of the trees were hacked away on Main Street, the city is back to replanting.

The center median on Main Street will now feature pear trees and Eagle Street is getting some new maples.

Massive tree removal and replacement are part of a $3.2 million streetscape project to renovate downtown. Many of the removed trees were endangering the sidewalks and others were likely to be damaged because of construction.  

The streetscape project won't be completed until summer 2011. It includes the laying of new conduit, sidewalks, lighting and traffic signals along River, Main, Eagle, Holden and Marshall streets, Route 2 and American Legion Drive.

New decorative streetlights have been installed on the lower end of Union Street near and traffic signaling will be installed on the massive columns placed at strategic intersections within the downtown.

The North Adams Library will be closed on Friday, Nov. 19, from 10:30 to noon so staff can attend the funeral of the late Edna Rudnick, who lead the Friends of the North Adams Public Library as president for 20 years.

"Edna was a strong supporter of the library and helped raise the funds to complete the beautiful renovation of our library that she loved so much," said Library Director Rick Moon in explaining the closure.

Rudnick died this past Saturday at age 86. She was a longtime booster of the library and involved in other civic activities, including chairman of the city's Council on Aging and a longtime member of the Planning Board. Her participation in these committees was put on hold a couple months ago when she fell and broke her hip.

After surgery, she entered North Adams Commons for rehabilitation and was expected to return to her home in the High-Rise apartments, where she also was active with the tenants' association. Rudnick even posed for a testimonial on how well she was doing in rehab for Northern Berkshire Healthcare.

However, her health suddenly declined and she died at the nursing home this past Saturday. Her husband, Stafford Rudnick, who was a police officer in the city in his younger years, died in 1985. She left no immediate family in the area.

A calling hour for Rudnick will be held Friday, Nov. 19, from 10 until the funeral service at 11 a.m. at Flynn & Dagnoli-Montagna Home for Funerals, Central Chapels, 74 Marshall St., North Adams. Burial will follow in Southview Cemetery.

Memorial donations for Rudnick may be made to the North Adams Public Library or the Mary Spitzer Senior Center in care of the funeral home.

The library will re-open Friday at noon.

The city's Human Services Commission is initiating its grant application process for applications to be submitted by Dec. 31, 2010.

The nonprofit agencies are invited to apply for grants of up to $500. Some $7,500 in grants will be disbursed. To be eligible, the agency must be a nonprofit organization that serves the residents of North Adams.

All approved applications will be submitted to the office of the mayor by Jan. 31, 2011, for final approval and appropriation.

To obtain a grant application, e-mail commission Chairwoman Suzy Helme at suzy@shimaboutique.com. Grant applications will also be available in hard copy at the city clerk's office at City Hall.

Grant applications are due no later than noon on Dec. 31, and must be delivered to the Human Services chairman via e-mail or mailed to City of North Adams, Human Services Commission Chairwoman Suzy Helme, 504 Church St., North Adams, MA 01247.

For further information, interested parties can contact Helme at 413-652-1814 or at suzy@shimaboutique.com.

The city has a few more weeks of work as a number of state projects near completion — at least for this fall.

Mayor Richard Alcombright said he'd met Monday for an update with state workers overseeing the four projects now under way in the city.

Concrete pours on the Hadley Overpass decking will end this week, he told the City Council on Tuesday, but "they will be continuing with the extensive structural work being done under the bridge right through the winter, if the weather cooperates."

That could mean traffic delays at times but work on the topside probably will not resume until spring.

Work on the West Main Street bridge over the rail tracks should be completed before Thanksgiving, he said. The sidewalk has been cemented and concrete is being poured this week or next for the deck. The railing has been resecured but hasn't been replaced or painted because it wasn't in the budget. Alcombright said city crews will repaint the rusty railing in the spring.

The bridge near West Package Store on State Road will have its deck replaced beginning next week.

"There should be minimal interruption; yes, there will be some slow traffic but that should be completed this construction season," he said. Those most affected will be residents of New Street, which may have to be closed at times; residents will have to loop around to Taft Street to exit onto State Road.

Work on the downtown streetscape project is coming to a close for the season. Corners that have not yet been paved with concrete are being blacktopped for the winter and lightposts are being installed.

"We're hopeful the intersection signaling will be done before the end of the year," said Alcombright.

The blacktopped corners, paving on River and Main streets, sidewalks and lighting on Eagle Street and tree planting around the downtown will be completed in the spring. The work is contractually required to be completed by July 1.

That's not the end of the road work. Alcombright said the state will be beginning work on the decking of another State Road bridge in the year or so. "We're hoping to do the Sacco Bridge next summer because that's very bumpy ride."