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Portion of MBTA station where man fell to death last year closed for at least a month
A Boston University professor fell to his death at the JFK/UMass station last year.
In the interest of public safety, the MBTA said Tuesday it is closing part of the JFK/UMass Station temporarily.
Over the weekend, inspectors “identified a critical structural issue” at the Columbia Road entrance to the pedestrian bridge at the station, the MBTA said in a Twitter post. The agency said it was closing the station’s concourse and riders are being told to use the busway ramp to access the station.
Accessible van service, available by request, began Tuesday afternoon. It will move riders between the Columbia Road entrance and the JFK/UMass busway while the concourse is closed. Anyone in need of this service should speak with MBTA workers at the station.
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The station services the Red Line, the commuter rail, and several bus lines.
MBTA engineers are working on plans to renovate the structures that need improvements. Officials expect the concourse to be closed for at least one month.
“We’ll continue inspections & notify riders if any other repairs are needed. We remain committed to prioritizing the safety of our riders, service & infrastructure,” the MBTA said on Twitter.
While on his daily jog, David Jones, a 40-year-old public health professor at BU, fell to his death at the station on On Sept. 11, 2021. A severely rusted staircase gave way as Jones ran on it, causing him to fall about 20 feet to the ground below.
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Jones’s wife filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the MBTA and MassDOT on behalf of her and her children this month.
Surveillance video shows that the stairs were partially blocked off but still accessible.
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