Government Center Station to Reopen March 26

A drawing of the completed Government Center MBTA station, which is set to reopen on March 26.

A drawing of the completed Government Center MBTA station, which is set to reopen on March 26.

By John Lynds

The MBTA announced that the Government Center station, which has undergone a two year $82 million rehabilitation, will reopen on Saturday, March 26 according to MBTA General Manager Frank DePaola.

Government Center connects the Blue Line to the Green Line and makes travel between these two MBTA lines easy and convenient for thousands of East Boston commuters each day who commute to work. The two year closure forced Eastie travelers a day to seek alternate routes to connect to the blue or green line.

The project to upgarde the aging station stayed on track with no construction delays despite a horrible winter last year and was slated to open in spring 2016. The MBTA had not given a specific date of when Government Center would reopen but DePaola set the date for March 26 during an interview on the show Comcast Newsmakers earlier this month.

“Keeping to the pledge we made two years, a completely rebuilt Government Center Station will re-open this month, making this important transit hub accessible to people of all abilities,” said DePaola. “I want to sincerely thank our Blue and Green Line customers for their patience while construction crews worked very hard to deliver this project on time, and within budget.”

According to the DePaola, the Government Center project will combine improvements to the Green Line Station, Blue Line Station, and Cambridge Street/Government Center Plaza, which will bring Government Center Station into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Boston Center for Independent Living (BCIL) Agreement. Before the project began, access to and from Government Center was provided solely by stairways and escalators.

Reconstruction to the Green and Blue Line Station will include a new head house structure as the primary entrance, raised code compliant platforms to provide accessible boarding of the Green Line low-floor trains, the introduction of new redundant elevators from the street to the Green Line level as well as from the Green Line level to the Blue Line level. There will be new escalators, LED signage, a new and expanded fare collection area, upgraded back-up electrical power supply, improved interior finishes, mechanical systems, lighting, a public address system, and a new emergency exit structure on Cambridge Street.

The existing Blue Line mezzanine will be renovated to provide room for new electrical and communication equipment. Additional vendor retail space will also be provided on both Green and Blue Line platforms. A security protection and monitoring system will be installed at all levels and in the vicinity of the head house.

The project also includes reconstruction of Cambridge Street and a portion of City Hall Plaza in the vicinity of the Station to provide accessible paths of travel to the station.

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