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Berkshires Likely To Be Represented On Mass. Transportation Panel After Legislators Protest

Lenox State Rep. Smitty Pignatelli (left) and Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker pose for a selfie during a 2015 event in Great Barrington, Mass.
Adam Frenier
/
NEPR
Lenox State Rep. Smitty Pignatelli (left) and Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker pose for a selfie during a 2015 event in Great Barrington, Mass.

It appears a commission charged with looking at the future of transportation in Massachusetts will have a representative from Berkshire County. That came after stinging criticism from some western Mass. lawmakers.

The 18-member panel announced by Gov. Charlie Baker this week did not include anyone from the Berkshires.

That got the attention of area legislators, who sent a letter to Baker expressing their concern.

Lenox state representative Smitty Pignatelli said he's since heard from Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, and he feels confident someone from the county will be added.

"The transportation needs of the Berkshires are different than the Pioneer Valley," Pignatelli said. "And the Pioneer Valley is very different than Boston and Cape Cod. But at the end of the day, we all have issues. And for us not to have a voice at the table in that discussion, I think was a serious omission."

Baker's office said the commission will try to forecast the transportation needs of Massachusetts over the next two decades.

01.24.18 Delegation Baker Transportation Commission by New England Public Radio on Scribd

Adam joined NEPM as a freelance reporter and fill-in operations assistant during the summer of 2011. For more than 15 years, Adam has had a number stops throughout his broadcast career, including as a news reporter and anchor, sports host and play-by-play announcer as well as a producer and technician.
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