The bridge was built in 1952 over the Hoosic River.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The state has ordered the Brown Street bridge closed.
Residents were alerted the closure of the span that connects River Street to West Main Street by the city's CodeRed alert system around 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The bridge is closed "indefinitely."
The bridge is blocked off on both sides though Brown Street is still accessible from West Main Street.
The 26-foot steel structure's poor condition is well known and it was listed with 19 other bridges in the Berkshires requiring repairs or replacement using funding from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Act. Brown Street is in line for nearly $1 million for superstructure repairs.
According to MassDOT's bridge inventory, the Brown Street bridge has a deck rating of 7 and a superstructure rating of 3. Bridges are deemed structurally deficient with a rating less than 4.
As of Tuesday, the bridge's information in the system had last been updated on Feb. 23.
MassDOT has had the bridge in preliminary design stage for rehabilitation since 2013 with an estimated project cost of $5.6 million.
The state Department of Transportation was expected to invest more than $3 billion in repairing bridges, addressing more than one-third of the structurally deficient bridge backlog. Last year, it had initiated more 146 bridge repair or replacement projects on 181 bridge structures.
Massachusetts has 444 bridges classified as structurally deficient, according to the National Bridge Inventory, and has identified more than $15 billion in repairs for 4,901 spans.
Mayor Jennifer Macksey confirmed on Tuesday that state inspectors had closed the bridge and said she would be able to speak on the bridge Wednesday.
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Thunderstorms Leave Downed Trees, Wires and Debris Across North County
By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
A tree limb smashed in the cab on Mark Moulton's truck.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A severe thunderstorm hammered parts of North and Central County on Tuesday night, downing trees and limbs and leaving more than 8,000 customers without power.
The Berkshires, Eastern New York and parts of Southern Vermont were under a severe thunderstorm watch until 9 p.m. on Tuesday. The storm came through shortly after 6 p.m. with thunder and lightning and torrential rain.
Alerts and calls began streaming into dispatch and fire and police departments began calling in extra help.
When the rain let, the full extent of the damage could be seen — from uprooted century-old trees to scatterings of debris across streets and lawns.
As of 8:30, Brooklyn, Hoosac, Meadow, North Eagle just above Hospital Avenue were closed and the lower section of North Eagle was limited to one-way traffic. Trees were also down on Holbrook, Chestnut and Hall.
Mayor Jennifer Macksey had been getting a close-up look at the damage and speaking with residents.
"I've been trying to hit as many streets as I can so I have couple more streets to hit before I call it a night," the mayor said just before 9 p.m.
A severe thunderstorm hammered parts of North and Central County on Tuesday night, downing trees and limbs and leaving more than 5,000 customers without power. click for more
Today, the backyard sport has a presence on national television, merchandise ranging from boards to customized beanbags and partnerships with organizations like the Boys and Girls Clubs and Special Olympics.
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