Rising to the Challenge: MBTA’s Systemwide Elevator Upgrade Program Provides Much-Needed Accessibili

by Eric A. Buffington, LEED-AP, Senior Project Architect, Kleinfelder/S E A Consultants

 

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) $122 million Systemwide Elevator Upgrade Program will add, replace and upgrade outdated, small elevators and escalators to meet accessibility requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act in five of the busiest subway stations between downtown Boston and the Harvard campus in Cambridge. To facilitate easier access and system redundancy, improvements at the Park Street, Downtown Crossing, Harvard Square, State Street and Porter Square stations range from cab enlargements and aesthetic improvements to the addition of new elevators.

 

 

 

It is an extraordinary challenge for engineers and contractors as each of the stations identified for improvement has its own unique structural, operational, historical and environmental characteristics and must be coordinated with a number of stakeholders, including local and state agencies. All elevators, new or old, must be designed and built with particular attention to energy conservation, historic preservation and landscape architecture and without interruption to existing subway services.

 

Kleinfelder, a global science, engineering and architecture consulting firm, was awarded the design and construction management services contract for the five stations. Working with MBTA and their elevator consultant, engineers have developed plans for all station platform level interfaces, mechanical and electrical program spaces, interior and exterior finishes, egress structures within the station envelope, and all vertical transit components, as necessary.

 

 

 

One of the most challenging stations is the Green Line at Park Street Station. Originally opened in 1897, the station is an integral part of the historic heritage represented by the Tremont Street Subway, the first subway system built in America. Additionally, it is located within one of America’s oldest public parks, Boston Common. Both the Tremont Street Subway and Boston Common are designated as National Historic Landmarks (NHL) and listed in the National Register of Historic Places (National Register). When the existing elevators currently in service at the station are down due to service or replacement, no direct accessible elevator access would be available.

 

Work at Park Street Station required approval from the local, state and federal historical review agencies due to the NHL and National Register status of the station, the tunnel system and the park. Local and state agency’ approvals were also required for the necessary transfer of land currently in use as open space for an elevator head house, and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) approval was required for the use of park and recreational land from Boston Common.

 

 

 

The new elevator is located on Boston Common land, which is the jurisdiction of the Boston Parks and Recreation Department. Numerous meetings were held with interested stakeholders, the intent of which was to develop consensus among the stakeholders as to the siting and design of the station.

 

Construction on the new Park Street Station elevator has begun. It will ultimately provide elevator access to the upper Green Line platforms as well as redundancy. The new head house will have a presence on that plaza. Therefore, it will incorporate similar architecture to surrounding areas. The crystalline glass structure will provide high visibility through the shaft and the cab for added safety to passengers who use the elevator. Crews will begin work on the existing Park Street Station elevator located across the street once the new elevator is operational.

 

The other stations have unique complexities as well. The Porter Station design calls for the replacement of three elevator cabs and related equipment and the construction of two new elevators. One of the new elevators will approach a bridge crossing over the commuter rail and connect the street level to the lobby. The second elevator will connect the lobby to the Red Line platforms. Construction crews will also have to adjust the existing stairways to accommodate the new sidewalk grading.

 

In some cases, constructing a new elevator requires significant movement around existing utilities. The Downtown Crossing station requires crews to mine under active tracks, to avoid a 100-year-old brick-lined sewer and to construct beneath electrical vaults. The Porter Square station requires hand excavation through 30 feet of bedrock from the existing station floor to the train room tunnel roof all while minimizing service disruption.

 

 

 

 

To date, the design for four out of five of the stations is complete with approvals from agencies and stakeholders, and construction is underway. The Downtown Crossing station design should be complete by the spring of next year. Construction of the Harvard and State Street station new elevators will be complete by the end of the year. Construction of the Porter Square and Park Street station new elevators are on track to be complete by February 2013 and November 2012 respectively.

 

Eric Buffington, LEED-AP, is a designer in the Architectural Group of Kleinfelder/S E A Consultants, based in Boston, Mass. He can be reached at 617/498.4698 or EBuffington@kleinfelder.com.