Construction is expected to begin on the Boston University East and Central green line stops during Spring Break, and a temporary stop will be placed between the two for use during the construction. The changes are required as part of the Federal Americans with Disabilities Act.
“Accessibility has been a problem,” said Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority spokeswoman Lydia Rivera. “We’ve had to attend to all of the green lines to comply with the mandate.”
The new stops will feature elevated platforms, similar to what currently exists at the BU Central stop, to improve access to the streetcars.
The same types of changes are currently being made to the Harvard Avenue and Washington Street stops, and when construction is completed at those spots, it will begin on the stops near BU.
The work, which will be done by E.J. Sciaba Contracting, is scheduled to begin the first week of March. The MBTA will release more detailed information to University officials at that time. The work will take approximately six months to complete and is expected to be completed by Labor Day.
A temporary platform and improved crosswalks will first be constructed to form a temporary stop between the two existing stops, Rivera said.
Although the MBTA doesn’t foresee any problems, there will be MBTA employees and police in and around the work area to manage traffic and pedestrians, according to Rivera.
Students said they were unconcerned with the inconveniences that may be caused by the construction.
“Not as long as I can get where I want to go, I don’t care what they do,” said Stephanie Sorge, a freshman in the School of Management.
BU spokesman Colin Riley said the construction would improve the T
service.
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