On Monday, Newton’s government representatives announced that the MBTA will rebuild the Newtonville train station, which will become Newton’s first station compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
“This has been a long time coming,” U.S. Representative Jake Auchincloss said.
At a Newton City Hall press conference, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, Auchincloss, and other officials announced $50 million in state and federal funds for the station’s reconstruction, including a $7 million earmark secured by Auchincloss.
This reconstruction is one element of a wider plan to make Newton a better place to live, Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller said.
“This is a huge leap forward in Newton, not just for public transportation but also housing, economic opportunity, accessibility, and climate resiliency,” Fuller said.
Currently, the Newtonville station includes one platform that’s only reachable by stairs. The reconstruction will add two-level boarding platforms accessible by elevators and a bridge designed for wheelchairs.
“Everyone will now be able to take the train—people with mobility challenges, parents with a stroller, and travelers with a suitcase,” Fuller said.
Additionally, the station currently only has a track on one side, which means trains going eastbound and trains going westbound cannot cross the station at the same time.
As a result, the train often doesn’t stop at the station for long stretches of time, which causes delays across the whole train system, according to MBTA General Manager Phil Eng.
“This limits the ability of riders to reverse-commute to Newton and does not align with our goals here at the MBTA of providing two-way service for everyone,” Eng said at the press conference.
The other two commuter rail stations in Newton, West Newton, and Auburndale, also fail to comply with the ADA.
Two thousand riders travel through Newton’s three stations every day, according to Eng.
“There’s not one accessible MBTA commuter rail station in the city, and that’s not acceptable,” Eng said.
Also included in the plan for reconstruction are CCTV cameras, canopies, tactile warning strips, bike racks, and designated pick-up and drop-off areas.
