On Monday, March 21, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) - affectionately called the “T” by locals - debuted its renovated Government Center Station. The Government Center Station is a transportation hub connecting the Green Line with the Logan Airport-bound Blue Line.
The two year, $113 million project was described by The Boston Globe as a “gleaming new installation of contemporary architecture” (Mar. 21, 2016). Not only is it a modernization of a station with sections that vary in age from fifty- to 116-years old, but most importantly it is now fully accessible for all patrons visiting the City Hall Plaza, Faneuil Hall Marketplace, and other dining, restaurant, and hotel sites nearby. With a vaulting glass entryway that serves as a distinctive local landmark, the plaza surrounding the station will also be home to 54 new trees as part of a mission to create a more sustainable and pedestrian-friendly space.
The first station here opened in 1898 and was named Scollay Square Station, the third stop on the nation’s oldest subway – the Tremont Street Subway. In the early 1960s, the station underwent a major renovation during the development of City Hall Plaza and was renamed Government Center. During recent renovations, original tiles from the lower Scollay Square platforms were uncovered and several mosaics reading “Scollay Under” were revealed. These mosaics are now displayed on the walls of the Blue Line platform.
Both the BCEC and the Hynes are located by T stations to help you get to wherever you need to go in Boston. The BCEC is located across from the Silver Line World Trade Center stop or a fifteen-minute walk from South Station for Red and Silver Line connections (in addition to Commuter Rail, Amtrak, and bus service). The Hynes has its own stop on the Green Line, and is within walking distance of several other Green Line stops, as well as the Back Bay Station on the Orange Line (another hub for Amtrak and Commuter Rail service).
For planning your visit to Boston, check out the MBTA’s “Trip Planner” tool that will help you plan your T ride from beginning to end.
Photo from MBTA