Newton Rail Station Improvements Get Green Light From MBTA Board

NEWTON, MA — They've finally gotten the green light: After more than two years, work will move ahead to start the process to fix platforms and make accessibility improvements at the Auburndale, Newtonville and West Newton.

The MBTA’s Fiscal and Management Control Board approved a $5 million contract with Watertown-based VHB along the Framingham/Worcester line to get the updates moving.

Before a vote Monday in Boston, Newton City Councilor Emily Norton, who has the Newtonville stop in her ward, told the board the stations were “pretty treacherous even for the able-bodied,” and urged the MBTA to go beyond a plan to invest in one-sided platforms.

"No one in a wheelchair can get on a train, despite title VI," said Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller, who noted it's also a challenge for anyone on crutches or carrying anything heavy.

This has been long in coming: Rep. Kay Khan told the board she'd been championing better accessibility at the stations for some 20 years. In 2017, the transit authority backed down from plans to redesign Auburndale station and the other two station.

The teams went back to the drawing board and came back earlier this year with the latest $46 million, 2 and a half-year plan that recommends building a one-track platform at the north end of the stations. It also leaves room to add another platform, should money be secured for that down the line.

Still, proponents argue that extra platform should happen now.

"Our three stations only have platforms on one side, so thus, they are limited to getting employees to Newton," said Fuller Monday.

Designing and building two platforms would more than double the cost, bringing it up to around $112 million, according to MBTA officials. It would also mean the project would take about eight years.

“It gets very expensive to do two sides,” Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack said at the meeting, adding that additional platforms mean more elevators and steps.

But MBTA officials conceded they will issue a conceptual design of a second platform at one of the stations to figure out what the costs and time might really look like if they were to add.

After the initial design phase, a construction contract will come to the board for approval.

"We support going forward as soon as possible," said Khan.

Newton City Council President Marc Loredo was also at the meeting.

Watch the meeting here:

Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).