These projects are funded by the Federal Transit Authority's All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP). This program was established to make legacy transit stations accessible for the first time. PRT received a total of $36.4 million to support accessibility improvements to the following Red Line stations:

• Westfield*
• Shiras*
• St Anne*
• Bethel Village*
• Palm Garden
• Dawn
• Hampshire
• Stevenson
• Poplar
• Arlington
• Smith Road
• Casswell
• Highland
• Dorchester

*These stations will be converted into fully-accessible high platform stations. The others will receive more limited upgrades but will still have level boarding with rail vehicles.

This project addresses the following values from PRT’s long-range transportation plan, NEXTransit, adopted in 2021.

• Accessible: infrastructure is fully available in every way to those with specific needs, such as physical or mental disabilities, those traveling with infants or small children, and those traveling with groceries or other goods.
• Equitable: the project not only ensures the fair provision of services to those with limited means or higher risk, but affirmatively acts to better the services offered to these groups in an effort to combat historical and environmental imbalances in the community.
• Sustainable: the project enhances the health of communities and the natural environment through its design and operations with regard to energy use, water use, raw material use, land use, and waste production.

PRT’s approach to station area planning:

• Station access: Making it easier and safer for people to get to the station and prioritizing upgrades that make the station accessible for all riders.

• Station design: Making PRT facilities more comfortable and easier to use.

• Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) feasibility: Coordinating with municipalities and other partners to determine community goals for building projects adjacent to the station and how these projects can be best integrate transit access.