The Newton Highlands Neighborhood Area Council is urging city and state officials to reconsider parts of the MBTA’s accessibility plan for the Newton Highlands MBTA station, citing concerns about historic preservation, neighborhood impacts, and project design.
At the Council’s August 7 meeting, Area Councilor Robert Fizek reminded the Council that planning for the MBTA station accessibility project has been underway for at least a decade. The MBTA completed the design in 2023 but put the project on hold during Green Line power and track upgrades that were completed this year. Construction is now expected to begin in 2027.
The project is intended to add ADA-accessible ramps, but the current design also includes overhead canopies built to a standard more commonly associated with commuter rail stations. Some Newton Highlands residents and Council members contend that the canopies are not historically appropriate for the site and may not be necessary to meet accessibility goals…