MBTA Construction Projects

I visited Norfolk station today and got some photos of related projects in the area.

Franklin Line Double Track Phase 1 completed (looking inbound/north-east)
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Signal infrastructure for Phase 1
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More work yet to be completed for Phase 2 (looking outbound/south-west, viewed from the mini-high platform)
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Franklin Line Double Track Phase 2 (viewed from under the Main Street bridge)
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I also took a few other photos of the Norfolk station area while I was there.

Ongoing construction for the "Residences at Norfolk Station" development
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Looking outbound from the low-level platform at sunset
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Rockwood Road (MA115) grade crossing signals
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Such a relief that they are re-opening the Berkeley St exits. Never made much sense to me why they kept these closed when the pathways are already there (at least as an exit-only egress or something). I work on Berkeley St and having to double-back from the train to Arlington St, then walk back to Berkeley St on the surface is infuriating.

HelloBostonHi said:
30% update for the reopening of the other lobby at Arlington GL. https://cdn.mbta.com/sites/default/...lington-30percent-presentation-accessible.pdf

My favorite rendering has to be this, which looks vaguely like a screenshot from a post apocalyptic video game or something like when the MBTA featured in The Last of Us...
View attachment 22099
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Actually kind of awesome that the T seems to be on a roll on re-opening closed entrances. We have here, Chinatown Station entrances opening, the Mass Ave entrance @Gainsborough, (i think?), and I vaguely recall plans for the back bay entrance on Clarendon, and of course the new entrance to Forest Hills across the street. I think also plans to re-open on of the Park St. Entrances? The more entrances spread out the more convenient the T seems and the more expansive, I hope they continue the trend. One of the things I think NYC does really well is having head houses everywhere increasing the reach of each station. I will (perhaps shamefully) say, though, I always digged the current stair case entraces. Super simple and old school, not sure how I feel about the propsed new ones, although I admit they look significantly more pleasant to actually use. Just something about the low wall, simple sign and stair way below in the middle of the sidewalk.
 
bakgwailo said:
Oh, yeah. That was the one that required people to walk an extra .25-.5 or something riduclous around the station to get in, right?
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And that ~.5mi. took you halfway to Quincy Center, making the trek back along windswept Burgin Parkway nothing short of daunting. It opened up the walkability of the station tenfold, only disappointing part are the years of missed development opportunities along the way, but I'm sure Braintree would've had that sorted out one way or another.
 
jass said:
Wasnt that entrance reopened previously?
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Yes, it was open during the elevator install at the Arlington St. entrances, but then they closed it again once that project ended.
 
HenryAlan said:
Yes, it was open during the elevator install at the Arlington St. entrances, but then they closed it again once that project ended.
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I dont understand why the design process needs more than "Hey Jon go unlock the door tomorrow"
 
jass said:
I dont understand why the design process needs more than "Hey Jon go unlock the door tomorrow"
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I believe that as part of the 2006 lawsuit settlement and/or MAAB rukes, all new and reopened entrances must be accessible. It was allowed for use during construction because the station was not yet accessible, but it would not and should not be permanently reopened without elevators.

Note also that accessibility, both legally defined and practical, is more than just elevators. Many aspects of the entrance as it currently exists, from flooring to stair dimensions, would almost certainly not meet ADA/MAAB standards - even if the entrance was allowed to be reopened without elevators.
 
The Elevator Accessibility Upgrades project includes the following (MBTA list on top bullets, my comments on sub bullets):
  • Arlington:Three new elevators
    • Reopening of Berkeley Street entrance
  • Broadway:Two new elevators and two replacements
    • Completely new headhouse at 4th Street
  • Chinatown:Two new elevators and two replacements
    • Reopening of LaGrange Place and Hayward place entrances
  • Davis:Two new elevators and two replacements
    • Redundant elevators in both headhouses
  • Jackson Square:One new elevator and one replacement
    • Redundant elevator in existing headhouse
  • Massachusetts Avenue:One new elevator and one replacement
    • Conversion of existing exit-only footbridge to full entrance
  • North Station:Two new elevators
    • Will make the Valenti Way entrance accessible
  • State: One new elevator and two replacements
    • New elevator for the City Hall headhouse, and presumably making that entrance visible rather than hidden
  • Sullivan Square: One new elevator and two replacements
    • New elevator connecting the busways
As noted, there have been/will be some other entrance (re)openings:
  • Honorable mention goes to North Station - it took a while, but we finally have a finally-inside passage from CR to subway.
  • Ruggles: Planned renovations apparently may add a direct OL and/or CR entrance from Ruggles Street
  • Forest Hills: North entrance finally open; elevator replacements and a new busway-busway elevator soon.
  • Park Street: Temple Place exit is reopening... sometime soon. Construction looks more or less complete. 2012 renovations also added redundant elevators and greatly simplified some transfers.
  • Quincy Adams: Independence Avenue entrance reopened. Garage work includes elevator replacements and a redundant platform elevator.
  • Hynes Convention Center will have two reopened entrances, and elevators from all three entrances
  • Over a decade old, but the Maverick renovation reopened the Lewis Street entrance, which was long-closed, and the State renovations reopened one BL entrance and added another.
And several notable elevator projects with redundant or new elevators (aside from the full-station renovations that make them accessible for the first time):
  • Oak Grove is nearing the end of a major renovation which added redundant elevators and made the Washington Street entrance accessible for the first time
  • DTX in the midst of multiple renovation stages, which will provide accessible transfers in all directions.
  • Harvard: replacement and upgrades to perhaps the most visible elevator in the system
  • Central: redundant elevators in design
  • Kendall: redundant elevators (and nicer headhouses) in construction
  • Andrew: redundant elevators completed
  • Riverside: redundant elevators (currently just a ramp) to be added as part of TOD
  • Suffolk Downs is planned for major renovations as part of TOD; I would suspect elevators will replace the ramps.
  • I've mostly ignored CR here, but one notable project: Lynn has a big renovation planned, which might include an elevator at the Central Square end. An elevator was built there in 1991, but was later walled off.
My picks for where new entrances or elevators should be prioritized:
  • Oak Grove could use a northern entrance, with the dense housing to the north.
  • Sullivan: as mentioned, badly needs a western entrance.
  • DTX: Temple Place entrance should be accessible
  • Tufts Medical Center: Tremont Street entrance should be accessible
  • Back Bay: the Clarendon Street exits (OL and CR) and Berkeley Street emergency exit (CR) really should be fully entrances
  • Braintree: needs a western entrance
  • Copley: needs a Copley Square headhouse
 
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