T plans to take hard look at commuter garage fix-ups

LYNN – With its peeling paint, cracked walkways and rusty under-girders, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority commuter garage needs renovations and maintenance – and the sooner the better – said local rail riders.?It?s trashy. They should do a better job. It could be a nice place,” said commuter Ashley Lupoli.MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo on Monday said “there?s been no recent work at the garage” and said the agency planned to take short- and long-term looks at how to improve the facility. Pesaturo confirmed the MBTA has funding in place to proceed with the study outlining garage improvements.?The scope and objectives will be worked out with the consultant in the coming month,” Pesaturo said.Built in 1987 with nearly 1,000 parking spaces, the garage anchors downtown?s Market Street end and sits on the Lynnway/Broad Street entrance to the city. Connected to Central Square by a raised train platform, and a glass-arched walkway between the Broad Street busway and Munroe Street, the garage provides parking for downtown residents, commuters bound for Boston and downtown workers such as Jamie Lyons.Lyons commutes from Salem to park in the garage and said it needs improved security and maintenance, with special attention paid to the elevator.?It?s always breaking down,” Lyons said.Lupoli commutes from Boston to Lynn, and needed help carrying her baby stroller down the garage stairs last week because the elevator was not working. She said dripping rust and bird droppings mean commuters must be careful about where they stand in the walkway.Opened in 1992 at a construction cost of $50 million, the garage was applauded by state transportation officials as a cornerstone for North Shore transportation improvements.Built with two wings, each with five parking tiers, and the glass-walled elevator, the garage has cameras and transit officer patrols, and maintenance needs identified late last year by the MBTA included installing new lights and replacing cracked tiles.?It needs some work,” said Lyons.