MBTA stations to undergo spring cleaning to remove smells, boost lighting

BOSTON — Spring cleaning is about to get underway in the subway, of all places.

The MBTA is pulling out the power washers and preparing to put forth a multi-million dollar effort.

Smells and sanitation are the focus of an MBTA "Station brightening blitz" starting on April 1 at Back Bay, Dudley, JFK UMass and Downtown Crossing.

"You get some weird smells in there," one rider said.

"There definitely needs to be room for improvement there," said Mihai Hanzel of Charlestown.

"I wish it was brighter, there was more light, was more modern, it looks so old," said Gilberte Furstenberg of Boston.

The Fiscal Management Control Board says $25 million will go toward painting ceilings, repairing leaks, adding new maps and signs, removing smells and boosting lighting.

Brightness and cleanliness are not the biggest concern for some riders Boston 25 News spoke with. They feel the T should spend that money elsewhere.

"Reliability especially late at night," said Doug Robinson of Roxbury.

"I don't really see a need right now. I'd rather see the new orange line trains on the tracks," said Jason Reed of Georgetown.

"I think it's fairly clean, I've never had a problem," said Dave Root of Jamaica Plain.

Station brightening will overlap with regular maintenance, according to the MBTA.

The work is set to be done during off-peak hours and will continue for 6 months.

Major construction project on Tobin Bridge, Chelsea Curves starts April 1 >>

Cox Media Group