Work will begin on Monday night to demolish a staircase at the Milton MBTA station, impacting service along the Mattapan Line for several nights this week.
Shuttle buses will replace trolley service along the Mattapan Line from 8:45 p.m. until the end of service, beginning Monday and continuing through Thursday.
The work to demolish the staircase will begin each of those nights from 9 p.m. and continue through 5:30 a.m., according to the Town of Milton, which also said that a contractor will use a hydraulic hammer to complete the work and will attempt to mitigate the noise.
A news release from the town said that there was no plan to immediately replace the stairs after demolition work is complete, despite “repeated requests” from the suburban community that the MBTA repair the stairs.
The stairs have been in bad shape for years, and the closure of them has blocked access from Adams Street. Access to the station is right now only through Wharf Street, or from the Neponset Trail, which some residents say is not practical and even unsafe.
The legal complaint stated that “Milton’s efforts have been ignored by the MBTA, leaving Milton with its hands tied and a perpetually decrepit staircase in a station frequently used by its residents. After years of attempted resolution and serious frustration, Milton files this suit as a last resort. To be clear, no monetary damages are sought; Milton simply seeks to compel the MBTA to do its statutorily-imposed job.”
“It’s a blighted eyesore and a hazard for the town,” said State Rep. Bill Driscoll Jr. He was one of several local and state leaders who wrote to the MBTA urging the staircase be replaced.
In a letter responding to these requests, former MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak explained the Adams Street staircase cannot be repaired and reopened because it would require extensive repairs to make it fully accessible.
“At a minimum, this would require installing an elevator, and elevating the platform approximately 14 inches, which is roughly 8 inches higher than the existing platform. This would impact all station connections and ultimately require a full station replacement,” wrote Poftak.
He also noted the staircase is scheduled to be demolished as part of the MBTA’ Mattapan Line Transformation Project. The goals of the $114 million project include providing state of good repair and enhancing accessibility to all stations.
As part of the project, the Milton Station will eventually be replaced.
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