West Natick Mini-High Platforms

  • Location

    West Natick, Natick, MA, USA
  • Year

    2017
  • Products

  • Owner

    Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
  • Engineer

    MBTA
  • Contractor

    LM Heavy Construction

Description

The West Natick Station runs along the Worcester line and leads into the Framingham and Natick Center Stations. Due to the harsh winters resulting in snow/ice buildup on the ramps and platforms, frequent applications of deicing salts/chemicals are needed to keep the stations safe for pedestrians. This deicing process results in rapid deterioration of the concrete ramps and platforms. The steel reinforcement corrodes resulting in spalling of the concrete which renders the platforms unsafe and in need of either repair or replacement.

The mini-high platforms are critical structures for creating ADA accessibility throughout the MBTA network of commuter rail stations. Ensuring safe boarding operations is difficult due to the rapid deterioration of the traditional concrete ramps and platforms.

The MBTA selected LM Heavy Construction to do the mini-high replacement at West Natick. Due to the inherent durability of these FRP platforms, the MBTA determined the FiberSPAN ramps and rail platforms would be a low-maintenance alternative to replacing the existing concrete in kind. The prefabricated lightweight panels allowed for a fast, weekend installation that minimized disruptions to the local ridership.

Details

Total Platform Area: 1,134 SF
Typical Panel Dimensions: 6’ x 25’
Typical Panel Weight: 3,100 lbs/ea