Low Hanging Traffic Signals Disrupt Pittsfield Morning Commute

Listeners of "Slater and Marjo In The Morning" were alerted of detoured traffic early on Thursday morning as low hanging traffic signals made vehicular traffic impossible at the intersection of Elm St. and Edward Ave.

I had a chance to speak with Pittsfield Police Officer Aaron Garner around 6:05 a.m., he had said PPD were made aware of the situation around 4:45 a.m. and to let listeners know that a few heavily traveled intersections would be blocked off for the majority of the morning.

Traffic was detoured at Elm St. and Edward Ave., Newell St. and Meadow Ln., Edward Ave. and Malcolm Ave., Elm St. and Livingston Ave., and Elm St. and Holmes Rd.

Ironically, Pittsfield Commissioner of Public Works, Ricardo Morales, was slated to sit in the Live 95.9 studio on Thursday morning and was able to explain what happened.

Insulation on the electrical cable failed and eventually compromised the tensioned support cable, melting it, resulting in the signal heads dropping. -Morales

Crews from Lapinski Inc., as well as, Eversource were on scene at approximately 8:00 a.m. to repair the support cable and raise the traffic signals. The intersection was fully open for traffic by 11:00 a.m.

Morales said that the signals and cable were "about 20 years old". Each signal weighs  between 30 and 50 pounds.