Wisdom Way Reopens


The section of Wisdom Way that had been closed for reconstruction since May reopened on the afternoon of Friday, December 9. The roadway will remain open during the winter months, with construction scheduled to resume in late March 2023.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation and C&A Construction Company of Chicopee have been reconstructing the road including new gas, sewer, water and drainage lines, replacement of a retaining wall and construction of a bicycle/walking path between River and Mill streets and the Franklin County Fairgrounds.

“We are pleased to have reached this milestone in this much-needed reconstruction that’s going to produce a safer Wisdom Way engineered to modern standards,” said Greenfield Public Works Director Marlo Warner. “I know it’s been an inconvenience for people who live in the area and for anyone trying to access the fairgrounds, the transfer station, Green River Cemetery and the Children’s Advocacy Center, but I am confident the final product will be worth it.”

When construction resumes in the springtime, the contractor plans intermittent closures and one-lane traffic patterns between #56 Wisdom Way and River and Mill streets to complete the remaining work. This includes construction of the bicycle/walking path, road paving, landscaping and installation of bike racks and benches.

To date, the City’s cost for the project is approximately $338,000 for design and engineering work. The total cost is expected to be approximately $3.3 million, with the balance funded by MassDOT and the federal government. If all goes as planned, construction is on track to be completed by May 2023.