T Q+A with General Manager Dan Grabauskas

Dear Mr. Grabauskas,
The MBTA has a large depot building at Arlington Heights. On one end of the building is the driver’s lobby and on the other end is what used to be the passenger waiting room. About three years ago (or more) the heated indoor waiting room was closed. Could you please reopen it? Standing in the rain and cold waiting for the bus is no fun. Sincerely,      Johnny
                                Lexington   

Dear Johnny
Thank you for writing. Upon reading your inquiry, I directed David Carney, transportation division chief, to investigate the situation. Mr. Carney discovered the following: Originally, the east side of the building at Arlington Heights was a restaurant. After the restaurant closed, the area became a waiting area until its closure a number of years ago. Further investigation found that at the request of the Arlington Police, the waiting area was closed due to problems with loitering. At the present time, there are no plans to reopen this building as a waiting area. Thank you for your understanding.

I have a question regarding puddles on South Station platforms. This has been a long-running problem that is obvious to the most casual observer yet nothing is done about it. Is it unreasonable to expect that puddles on these platforms and in front of the concourse entrance be shop vacuumed away within 12 hours of the rain fall stopping? My experience is primarily with platforms 11, 12 and 13. I took a run at this issue with the South Station manager some years ago and just got the runaround (prior to this column). Who handles this problem — the MBTA, Amtrak or the commuter rail operator? Seems to me the MBTA should have the responsibility for sorting this out and making sure the puddles are cleared rather than rely upon evaporation.
                 Dick S.

Dear Dick,
After receiving your e-mail, I directed my staff to speak with the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company (MBCR), the firm that operates commuter rail service and is responsible for the maintenance of tracks and platforms. The MBCR’s chief transportation officer has assured us that a work crew will be dispatched to South Station when any rain has fallen in the area. They are instructed to use vacuums or squeegees to push the water into nearby drainage areas. My staff has let MBCR know how important it is to address these situations before large numbers of commuters are traveling through the station. I should also point out there is a more permanent solution in the future. As part of the project to develop the air rights above South Station, the developer will be making infrastructure improvements that will result in more of the platforms being protected from rain, snow and wind.

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