Newtonville MBTA Commuter Rail Station Closed Due To Safety Concerns
NEWTON (CBS) – An MBTA commuter rail station in Newton has been shut down because of safety concerns.
The Newtonville station on the Framingham Worcester line is closed because the stairs to and from the platform are not safe for passengers.
The MBTA said an engineering team evaluated the condition of the stairs Tuesday and determined that they need repairs immediately.
"Obviously safety is a top concern and we don't want anyone to get hurt on the stairs, but a little forewarning would have been nice," passenger Ben Bernstein told WBZ-TV Wednesday morning.
Passengers who usually board the train at the Newtonville stop boarded shuttle buses instead. The buses brought them to the West Newton station to catch the train there.
"It's a pain but we don't really have a choice," said another commuter.
The shuttle buses leave the Newtonville station 20 minutes before a train is scheduled to arrive at West Newton, so passengers need to give themselves extra time in the morning.
The MBTA says visual inspections happen regularly at all of the commuter rail and T stations. A spokesperson said it was after one of these inspections on Tuesday that the stairs were closed out of an abundance of caution.
"It's a little nerve wracking since I walk on those stairs every day. Hopefully they get fixed," said rider Edna O'Shea.
"It's certainly a pain in the butt and we don't want this to drag on for months at a time, so prioritizing the staircase would be nice," Bernstein said.
The east side entrance on Harvard Street will reopen before the Thursday morning commute. Work will continue at the west side entrance on Walnut Street.