The MBTA announced that construction of a new, accessible, fully bidirectional Newtonville Commuter Rail station will begin in November 2026. The station is expected to be closed December 2026 to April 2029. Currently, there are no plans to increase or reroute bus service for Newtonville commuters during those 28 months.
This public update on the Newtonville Commuter Rail Accessibility Project was presented by the MBTA Capital Delivery Team, led by Christopher Brennen, at the Cooper Center on Wednesday, June 24. The firm VHB is responsible for engineering and construction.
MassDOT has prioritized the Newtonville Commuter Rail Accessibility project and, to maintain quality and scope, has allocated an additional $16 million in funding, raising the budget from $50 million to $66 million by delaying or canceling other projects.
In addition to making the station accessible, the project will realign tracks to enable full use of the station for travel in both directions at all times. (The current track configuration limits use of the station to inbound use in the mornings and outbound use later in the day.) Bidirectional travel will allow the MBTA to increase commuter rail frequency at the station.
To accomplish this, the new station will have a 400-foot, dual-sided platform with two sets of elevators and two sets of stairs on each side. (The current station is 800 feet long and single-sided.) The current stairs will remain in place for emergency evacuations. Construction will require shutting down the Worcester Line and replacing trains with buses for four to six weekends in late 2027 to realign the tracks and move them farther apart.
The new station will be capable of accommodating electric trains and could be lengthened in the future to accommodate longer trains, like those used by Amtrak. The new station will also have covered bike parking, CCTV monitoring, and an 80-foot-long pick-up/drop-off area with two accessible parking spots.
MBTA reports show over 300 people board the commuter rail at Newtonville daily. The MBTA representatives suggested using the #59 bus to the Newton Highlands Green Line station as an alternative while the Newtonville station was closed, but no increase in frequency for the #59 or the express buses from Newton Corner, such as the #553, has been planned. The MBTA stated that it is unable to increase bus service frequency due to a shortage of both drivers and buses. Riders would still be able to board the Worcester Commuter Rail line at West Newton, Auburndale, and other stations.
City Councilors Lucas, Leary, Wright, and Roche, and State Representative Amy Sangilio, and the public expressed great concern over the lack of increased bus service while the commuter rail station is closed. Councilors and local residents, including former Councilor Norton, asked about the long-promised sound wall on the north side of the Mass Pike and were told that the MBTA had no money in the budget for this project for a sound wall. Councilor Lucas and the Newtonville Area Council expressed concerns about limited parking and the impact on local businesses.
The MBTA said these issues are under discussion and that it is working with the City to coordinate efforts to minimize the impact of construction on local businesses, including construction crew parking. The MBTA will have a construction hotline and an inbox for public input. Mayor Laredo’s Chief of Staff, Dana Hanson, also requested that people contact her with concerns. She stated that the City is meeting with the MBTA regarding bus service and other issues.
Mayor Laredo opened the meeting, stating the project is “critical to our housing and economic goals” and the State’s housing, economic, and transportation goals. Congressman Auschincloss was thanked for helping advance the project with $7 million in federal funding.
See the Fig City News articles on this project from April 2024 and November 2024 and December 2025.