On March 21, Government Center station, one of the busiest of the MBTA system, officially opened its doors after a two-year construction period with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The celebrations were attended by many key figures of the city and MBTA, including Governor Charlie Baker, Mayor Marty Walsh, MBTA General Manager Frank DePaola, Massachusetts Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack, and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito.
In the past two years, the station not only underwent much needed updates, but the whole building was completely remodeled. Now, a more modern structure, large glass architecture has replaced the former brick building. This means more natural light into the station.
Furthermore, the station is now up to code with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which Walsh highlighted in his speech at the ceremony.
New elevators and platforms will make one of the oldest stations in the Boston transit system more accessible to riders.
The MBTA has also invested in many security upgrades for the new station, including more security cameras, new emergency exits, and an increased number of police call boxes. General mechanical and electrical systems were updated during construction as well.
In total, the new station cost around $90 million. It is the only station in the system where both Green and Blue lines connect.
This opening represented a rare piece of good news for the MBTA, which in recent months, has faced many problems and received much negative feedback from the public.
After announcing a decreased projected deficit of $138 million for fiscal year 2017, the MBTA took drastic measure to increase its budget and revenue.
One widely unpopular measure is the upcoming fare hike starting in July, protested by citizens, organizations, and Boston schools.
Furthermore, the MBTA board agreed on dropping late-night services in another effort to save expenses. This was also criticized by many Bostonians, especially those working in the service industry.
The opening of Government Center station was met with criticism by some citizens disappointed in the MBTA for not moving forward with the Green Line extension.