Natick Center Commuter Rail Station unveils $40M in improvements
Photo I SHNS/MBTA
A rendering of improvements at the Natick Center Commuter Rail Station.
New platforms for easier boarding, upgraded drainage infrastructure to prevent flooding, and the completion of a rail trail are among the upgrades at Natick Center Commuter Rail Station following a $40 million overhaul.
The station on the Framingham/Worcester Line is in the top quartile of busiest MBTA commuter rail stations, according to the T, and it was rebuilt with two new elevators, two accessible ramps and six stairways.
The station is sandwiched in between the Natick Center and Wellesley Square stations on the rail line. It now features high-level platforms, a pedestrian bridge replacement, bicycle parking, better signage, emergency lighting, street improvements and completion of the Natick section of the Cochituate Rail Trail.
Renovations began in 2020 and were expected to be finished in 2023, though the project experienced multiple delays, according to the MetroWest Daily News.
As Natick and the MBTA explored pursuing the project in 2014, town officials said the upgrades were needed to comply with the American Disabilities Act and to "support community and economic development in the heart of Natick Center." A survey among residents found that elevators and ramps were "most frequently" cited as "needed improvements for people with physical limitations."
The project contract was awarded in November 2019 and its estimated completion is "summer 2025."
State and local officials plan to gather at the station at 3 p.m Monday to celebrate improvements. Attendees include Gov. Maura Healey, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, Senate President Karen Spilka, Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt, MBTA General Manager Phil Eng and Rep. David Linsky of Natick.
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