MBTA to Landmarks: 'Sorry, the Brick Has to Go'

When Civil Engineer Bill Egan of the Public Works Department came before the Landmarks District Commission in May, it was mainly about a 3-inch gray accent strip to be applied to portions of the Mass. Ave. sidewalk, alerting pedestrians to changing cross-slopes in the walkway.

Egan is overseeing the Mass. Ave. reconstruction project, now in its eleventh (and final) year.

Tuesday night Egan appeared before the Commission again, this time to revisit the other issue touched on (but not resolved) at May’s meeting: the ‘brick bridge’ portion of Mass. Ave. running over the MBTA Orange Line station between St. Botolph and Columbus Avenues.

Although the Mass. Ave. Reconstruction is a City of Boston project, the bridge is owned by the MBTA, which currently has a policy in place banning bricks from being used on its property due to public safety concerns.

Initial plans for the Mass. Ave. reconstruction project called for brick sidewalks to be preserved throughout the neighborhood historic district, which includes the area surrounding the MBTA stop. Starting at St. Botolph Street, the sidewalks would become concrete with brick accent strips.

In May, the Commission had voted to deny the request ‘without prejudice, until MBTA reps could provide further details. But as Commissioner Diana Parcon pointed out at the time, the MBTA is a "quasi-public" agency and may not be bound by the commission's decision.

"They come before [us] as a courtesy," she said. "In reality they don’t have to abide by the regulations.”

The Landmarks District Commission was unwavering in its opposition to losing the brick Tuesday night as Egan and MBTA Director of Environmental Affairs, Andrew Brennan, reiterated the case for a concrete changeover, much of which has to do with issues of accessibility for disabled MBTA patrons.

“I find it difficult to accept, based on the maintenance issues,” said Commissioner Catherine Hunt. Commissioner John Amodeo agreed, stating that “…deferred maintenance is the source of the problems.”

“As someone who has spent the night in the emergency room as a result of falling on concrete, I find it ridiculous that brick should pose issues of safety and accessibility,” Hunt added, noting the hideous glare and ‘heat island’ effect that also comes with concrete.

“The new look of Mass. Ave. has been so well- received, it’s just a shame we have to break it up,” she said.

Brennan, along with MBTA Accessibility Manager Kathy Cox, made a solid case for amending the original decision to keep the brick, citing that bridges move and heave during heat/frost cycles and that customer complaints about the brick are a longstanding issue.

“This isn’t just about being exempt from the Commission’s regulations,” Brennan said. “And I agree about the glare. The work that’s been done on this project is beautiful, but [breaking it up] is a small price to pay for increasing customer accessibility.”

Commissioner Amodeo seemed pleased with Brennan’s offer to compromise via the use of a colored concrete: Scofield Concrete’s Charcoal Grey.

“It’s a nice complement to the brick, and we appreciate the courtesy of your coming here to discuss the project with us,” Amodeo said.