Volunteers Needed To help Clean Housatonic River

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Volunteers are needed to help clean up the west branch of the Housatonic River with Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) and Housatonic Valley Association (HVA) at their final river cleanup of 2024 on Saturday, Aug. 10, from 9 AM to noon. 
 
After the cleanup, volunteers will be provided a complimentary lunch. Volunteers must RSVP in advance to reserve a free lunch. 
 
Participants should meet at Westside Riverway Park, 181 Dewey Ave, Pittsfield, at 9 AM on Aug. 10. Cleanup teams will disperse to nearby locations, gathering miscellaneous trash from the river banks and bottom. Canoes will be used to transport the trash. BEAT will also conduct a trash inventory of everything collected, and they welcome volunteers who want to help without entering the river to assist in data collection. Old clothes, a hat, sunscreen, old sneakers or waterproof boots/waders, a full water bottle, and sunglasses are recommended. In the event of pouring rain or lightning, the cleanup will be canceled. 
 
According to a press release, cleanups make a considerable difference in the health of the Housatonic River. Since beginning annual cleanups, BEAT and HVA's efforts have made a noticeable difference, with the piles of trash getting smaller. 
 
Just this summer, BEAT and HVA have removed fifteen shopping carts that were submerged in the Housatonic River, five bikes, sixteen contractor bags worth of miscellaneous trash, HUNDREDS of plastic and glass bottles, twelve tires, several phones, numerous types of textiles.
 
Register at www.tinyurl.com/Housatonic-River-Cleanups-2024. For more information, visit thebeatnews.org or call (413) 464-9402.
 
West Branch Housatonic River Cleanups are organized by Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) and Housatonic Valley Association (HVA) and co-sponsored by Blue Q, Panera, and the City of Pittsfield.

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Dalton Division Road Project in Pre-25 Percent Design Stage

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The town's engineers say there is still time to work through the Dalton Division Road project’s design and permitting process. 
 
In December, the Select Board voted to advocate for Concept A, which would have sidewalks on both sides, a 5-foot bike lane in the road on both sides with a buffer, and a 2-foot painted buffer between the vehicle lane and in the bike lane. They also recommended the two-way stop control option. 
 
Since that decision, there have been sentiments to revisit this decision to reduce the cost and improve safety at the intersection off Williams Street, Washington Mountain Road, and Mountain Road. 
 
The original vote would have been the most expensive and "certainly not" the engineer or the state's "preferred design," Town Manager Thomas Hutcheson said during a meeting in November. 
 
During last week's Select Board meeting, Fuss & O'Neil project manager and senior traffic engineer Steve Savaria represented the options, explained potential obstacles, and demonstrated the next steps. Present board members have yet to vote on their final choice. 
 
The project is still in the pre-25 percent design stage and is currently on the fiscal year 2029 Transportation Improvement Program list, so there is "plenty of time" to work out the details. 
 
Since the original vote, some board members have shifted their opinion toward advocating for the most feasible and timely option with a "path of least resistance to get this project done." 
 
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