Great Barrington — On Friday, March 20, the town announced that Division Street from Park Street to North Plain Road would be closed until further notice.
According to Interim Police Chief Adam Carlotto, the closure is the result of a sink hole that developed on the east side of the temporary bridge abutment.
During the Monday, March 23, Selectboard meeting, Town Manager Liz Hartsgrove announced that the road would remain closed until further notice. “Since [the March 20 closure], the sinkhole has increased in size, indicating unstable subsurface conditions,” she said. “Out of abundance of caution, I have directed the Department of Public Works to expand the restrictions to include [closing off] all pedestrian access across the bridge until a full assessment can be completed and appropriate repairs are determined.”
Hartsgrove said MassDOT is sending engineering consultants Tighe & Bond of Westfield to conduct a site visit with bridge and geotechnical engineers. She did not specify when that site visit would take place.
“This effort will allow for a comprehensive evaluation of the unstable conditions, determine the extent of the surface failure, and develop a scope of work necessary to identify appropriate repair options,” Hartsgrove said. “The road will be closed for an undetermined period while the evaluation is underway. Once a defined scope and timeline for the assessment is established, I will provide an update to the board and the public.”
According to Hartsgrove, engineers will provide a detailed report and cost analysis for the Selectboard’s review.
