CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — The MBTA’s Alewife parking garage will be closed over the weekend from August 10-13 to accommodate repairs to the dilapidated structure, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority announced Friday afternoon.
Just two days after a large piece of concrete fell on a car parked on the garage’s second level, the MBTA says it is addressing concerns raised about the nearly 40-year-old building’s structural integrity.
“Through ongoing assessments and repair work, additional areas of deteriorated concrete that need to be addressed have been discovered,” a news release stated. “As such, the garage will be closed over the weekend to address these areas and to expedite the repair plan.”
The MBTA's engineers will spend Friday evening ensuring all cars exit the garage safely.
Around 500 spaces had been shut down over the past two days as MBTA crews inspected the garage and looked to make repairs after the Wednesday afternoon incident. Engineers had determined the garage was safe for use, but needed spot repairs.
The MBTA says it is developing a ‘long-term plan for the garage,’ but said a $5.7 million contract had been awarded Thursday to begin repair work in September.
The work includes “repairing beams, patching concrete decks, re-caulking deck joints, and cleaning and flushing the existing drainage system.”
The MBTA says it will spend $8 billion over the next five years upgrading the whole system’s infrastructure.
Alewife station has 2,627 total spaces.
MORE: Alewife station down 500 parking spaces as crews make emergency repairs
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