Thursday, 4:30 PM
State announces $21 million to restore Mount Greylock park
By Stephanie M. Peters, Globe correspondent
State environmental officials announced today that the Mount Greylock State Reservation will get $21.3 million to fix up its historic parkway -- the single largest construction project in the Massachusetts park system.
Mount Greylock, in northern Berkshire County, is the highest peak in the commonwealth and one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Berkshires, said Stephen H. Burrington, commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Recreation.
The project, expected to begin in April 2007 and be completed by June 2009, will rehabilitate the 13.5-mile parkway by repairing the roads, built in 1939; restoring historic features, including overlooks, stone walls, culverts, and vistas; fixing the park's drainage system; and planning to remove overhead electrical lines.
The roads will be closed to the public during the 2007 and 2008 seasons between April 1 and November 1, when weather permits construction. The trails, however, will remain open to hikers and mountain bikers.
