LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — A speed bump and traffic mirror have been proposed at the reportedly problematic intersection of Old State Road and the Berkshire Mall entrance.
Last week, abutters approached the Select Board with concerns about drivers ignoring stop signs and speeding through the area. Target owns its building and is the lone business left on the property.
"When you turn into Old State Road, our driveways are right there," Judy Bennett said. "Nobody stops, nobody slows down to come around that corner. They go faster and that's where someone is going to get hurt."
Carl Bennett added, "We are taking our lives into our own hands when we pull out during the day."
The Old State Road bridge connects the mall and Old State Road to Route 8. Abutter Pauline Hunt would like to see it closed entirely, making the Connector Road the access point from Route 8.
"That entrance isn't necessary," she said.
"It's chaos. There's an entrance over by the bike path that would serve everybody, there would be no problem, and there are lights at the end of it, it's a dream to get into there. I don't see the reason that chaos is there."
Hunt reported that during recent family emergencies, first responders had trouble accessing her driveway.
"They speed through the stop signs coming out of the mall from Target," she said.
The residents advocated for a stop sign before drivers turn onto Old State Road, as there are stop signs coming from the mall and a stop sign coming off the road. A contributing factor is the stone wall that hinders visibility, they said.
Police Chief Robert Derksen said there have been no reported accidents at the intersection over the last two years but added, "I'm sure there's a lot of near misses."
At first, the Select Board discussed adding two additional stop signs but voted to place a speed bump across Old State Road where there is an existing stop sign. The highway superintendent will also look into a traffic mirror to alleviate the blind spot.
"We've got a starting place," Chair Michael Murphy said.
This isn't the only traffic concern on the mall property that has been brought to the Select Board. Late last year, Derksen and Emergency Medical Services Director Jennifer Weber called attention to a sinkhole near the former Best Buy that had expanded to about the size of a loader's bucket.
The hole was coned off but traffic can still pass by, sparking concern from the first responders.
The mall is owned by JMJ Holdings, which plans to convert it into a senior living facility with condominiums and other commercial uses on the property. Derksen explained that any private property that is open to the public such as a parking lot for a retail establishment becomes a quasi-public way where the law can be enforced.
Since then, jersey barriers have been placed around the hole and it has appeared to expand farther into the roadway.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
Classical Beat: Enjoy Great Music at Tanglewood, Sevenars Festivals
By Stephen DanknerSpecial to iBerkshires
As Tanglewood enters its fourth week, stellar performances will take center stage in Ozawa Hall and in the Koussevitsky Shed.
Why go? To experience world-class instrumental soloists, such as the stellar piano virtuoso Yuja Wang. Also not to be missed are the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra, as well as visiting guest ensembles and BSO and TMC soloists as they perform chamber and orchestral masterworks by iconic composers Purcell, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Wagner, Prokofiev, Richard Strauss, Vaughan Williams and Ives.
In addition to Tanglewood, there are also outstanding performances to be enjoyed at the Sevenars Music Festival in South Worthington. Both venues present great music performed in acoustically resonant venues by marvelous performers.
Read below for the details for concerts from Wednesday, July 17-Tuesday, July 22.
Tanglewood
• Wednesday, July 17, 8 p.m. in Ozawa Hall • Recital Series: The phenomenal world-class piano virtuoso Yuja Wang presents a piano recital in Ozawa Hall.
• Thursday July 18, 8 p.m. in Ozawa Hall • Recital Series: Les Arts Florissants, William Christie, Director and Mourad Merzouki, Choreographer presents a performance of Henry Purcell's ‘semi-opera'/Restoration Drama "The Fairy Queen."
• Friday, July 19, 8 p.m. in the Shed: Maestro Dima Slobodeniouk leads the Boston Symphony Orchestra in a program of Leonard Bernstein (the deeply moving, jazz-tinged Symphony No. 2 ("Age of Anxiety") and Brahms' glorious Symphony No. 3.
• Saturday, July 20, 8 p.m. in the Shed: BSO Maestro Andris Nelsons leads the Orchestra in a concert version of Richard Wagner's thrilling concluding music drama from his "Ring" cycle-tetralogy, "Götterdämmerung." The stellar vocal soloists include sopranos Christine Goerke and Amanda Majeske, tenor Michael Weinius, baritone James Rutherford, bass Morris Robinson and Rhine maidens Diana Newman, Renée Tatum and Annie Rosen.
• Sunday, July 21, 2:30 p.m. in the Shed: Maestro Nelsons leads the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra (TMCO) in a program of Ives (the amazingly evocative "Three Places in New England"), Beethoven (the powerful Piano Concerto No. 3 with soloist Emanuel Ax) and Richard Strauss ("Also sprach Zarathustra" — you'll recognize its iconic "sunrise" opening).
• Tuesday, July 22, 7:00 p.m. in the Shed • Popular Artist Series: Beck, with the Boston Pops, Edwin Outwater, conductor.
For tickets to all Tanglewood events, call 888-266-1200, or go to tanglewood.org.
Sevenars Music Festival
Founded in 1968, Sevenars Concerts, Inc., presents its 56th anniversary season of six summer concerts, held at the Academy in South Worthington, located at 15 Ireland St., just off Route 112.
• Sunday, July 21, at 4 p.m.: Sevenars is delighted to present violist Ron Gorevic, returning to Sevenars after his stunning Bach recital in 2023. This year, Gorevic will offer a groundbreaking program including music of Kenji Bunch, Sal Macchia, Larry Wallach, and Tasia Wu, the latter three composing especially for him. In addition, he'll offer Bach's magnificent Chaconne in D minor and Max Reger's 3rd Suite.
Hailed by The New York Times, Gorevic continues a long and distinguished career as a performer on both violin and viola. Along with solo recitals, he has toured the United States, Germany, Japan, Korea, and Australia, performing most of the quartet repertoire. In London, he gave the British premieres of pieces by Donald Erb and Ned Rorem. He has recorded for Centaur Records as soloist and member of the Prometheus Piano Quartet, and for Koch Records as a member of the Chester String Quartet.
Last week, abutters approached the Select Board with concerns about drivers ignoring stop signs and speeding through the area. Target owns its building and is the lone business left on the property.
click for more
Dalton Day on Saturday is being expanded this year to include a car show, more local food, Irish dance troupe, children's activities, a town mascot, and plenty of music. click for more
The Dalton Garage would open the doors to so many possibilities, members of the Fire District said during a walk-through of the building last week. click for more
Water runoff reaching the drainage outlet behind the property is flooding it, unable to reach an intermittent stream meant to carry that runoff. click for more
The $25,000 raised will directly assist the Berkshire Humane Society in funding its various programs aimed at improving the lives of animals in need throughout the Berkshire County area. click for more
The short film follows Tom Levardi, who has been a supporter of the hiking community over the last 45 years by allowing Appalachian Trail hikers to camp in his back yard.
click for more