Staircase demolition set to begin at Milton MBTA station despite town pushback

MILTON, Mass. — The staircase at the Milton MBTA station is set to be demolished despite pushback and criticism from town leaders.

The demolition work will take place overnight from March 6 to March 9. Work will be done from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m., and shuttle buses will replace trolley service overnight. The crumbling stairs have been closed for nearly a decade and are currently being blocked off by a fence and a concrete barrier.

For years, the town has been imploring the MBTA to repair and replace the staircase. In a letter to Gov. Maura Healey last month, Milton’s Select Board urged the governor to stop the demolition work. They argued that demolishing the staircase without replacing it would transform the area from an eyesore to a hazard by creating a massive hole in the ground.

“Such an injustice has not and would not occur in MBTA communities such as Newton or Wellesley, or Brookline, but Lower Mills, the doorstep to Dorchester and Mattapan, is left with no plan, no design, and no action for years and then decades,” Milton Select Board Chair Arthur Doyle said on behalf of the entire select board in a letter to Healey. “Since the stairs have been closed, the Town of Milton has requested MBTA action repeatedly, specifically to repair and reopen the staircase; however, our efforts have been ignored by the MBTA and has left the Town with a perpetually decrepit staircase in a station used frequently by Milton, Dorchester, and Mattapan residents.” Back in October, the town of Milton filed a lawsuit against the MBTA after the agency neglected to respond to a letter demanding action on the staircase.

The MBTA has said they would not repair the staircase because there are plans to completely replace Milton station as part of a larger project for the Mattapan Line, although it’s unclear when that work would be completed.

In a statement, an MBTA spokesperson said, “The Healey-Driscoll Administration appreciates the outreach from state and local officials regarding the Adams Street staircase at Milton Station and has carefully considered their concerns. Our top priorities are ensuring safety and accessibility at the station. To that end, demolition of the staircase will continue as planned beginning on March 6, as the staircase has been deemed unsafe and poses a risk to the public in its current state. Transportation Secretary and CEO Gina Fiandaca has directed the MBTA to urgently move forward with design work for the new Milton Station, including a fully ADA compliant path to travel in the area where this staircase is located. In the interim, passengers can access the station from Wharf Street. We are committed to continued communication and collaboration with the community while these improvements are made.”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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