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Why the MBTA is about to close this Green Line station for 3 years
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We're less than two weeks out from the World Cup, and the MBTA is working overtime to make its stations cleaner and easier to navigate for visitors. Click here for WBUR's Andrea Perdomo-Hernandez's look at the T's dingiest stations.
But first, T riders have a few service disruptions to deal with — one lasting three days, one lasting a week and one lasting [check notes] three years:
Symphony intermission: Today is the last day of service on the Green Line's E branch before a seven-day closure between Copley and Heath Street begins Saturday. But there's one stop that won't reopen when the diversion is over. The MBTA's Symphony station is closing for three whole years Saturday, as part of a $170 million rebuild of the 85-year-old underground stop outside Symphony Hall. It's the longest temporary MBTA train station closure in recent memory — longer than the two-year Government Center closure a decade ago or Lechmere's pre-Green Line Extension relocation.
- What's the reason for the rebuild? Symphony station "currently has many shortcomings," project manager Dane Wigfall said in a recent meeting. It has no elevators, meaning it's not accessible to wheelchair users. The platforms aren't accessible, either. There are no restrooms. It's dimly lit. And it doesn't meet modern safety and emergency exit standards.
- Why is the closure so long? It's going to take a complete renovation to fix those problems. The project will add four elevators — one on each corner of the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Huntington Avenue — plus restrooms, new stairs, new lighting, raised platforms and bike lane/sidewalk improvements. MBTA officials say the added amenities will require expanding the station underground. And all that work has to be done with strict time windows and phasing to keep trains and traffic flowing through the busy intersection. Crews also had to relocate utilities before digging. "You can't drill a hole for an elevator through a bunch of power lines," said Gwen Dunlevy, the T's senior director for capital transformation. (Check out the T's renderings of what the new Symphony station will eventually look like here.)
- How long exactly will all that take? Officially, the T says Symphony will reopen in the summer of 2029. But according to Wigfall, that will only be a partial reopening. The full reopening won't happen until 2030.
- In the meantime: The Green Line's E branch trains will continue to run through Symphony (with the exception of the coming week); they just won't stop at the station. Riders can get on the line at nearby Prudential and Northeastern University stops, both of which are 0.3 miles (or about a five-minute walk) away. MBTA officials also note that the Orange Line's Massachusetts Avenue station is even closer: 0.1 miles. And the 39 bus runs the same route as the E branch.
Elsewhere on the T: There's a big hole in Red Line service. Today through Sunday, free shuttles are subbing between Broadway and Quincy Center (on the Braintree branch), as well as between JFK/UMass and Ashmont. (The Mattapan trolley is still chugging along.) If you're headed downtown from Braintree or Ashmont, T officials suggest budgeting an extra 40-50 minutes for your trip.
- During the diversion, you can also take the commuter rail for free between South Station and Braintree, which will be much faster than the shuttles.
Grow wild: Beginning today, Massachusetts officials are giving out free starter kits to anyone who wants to start a native plant garden. It's the sixth annual giveaway, as part of what Gov. Maura Healey has officially declared as Growing Wild Day. The kits will be available, while supplies last, at 21 local nurseries and six state parks.
- Why? Massachusetts has over 1,000 native plants, and they're important for pollinators like bees and butterflies to thrive and support the local ecosystem.
- FYI: The free kits include two native perennials and a packet of wildflower seeds. And you don't even need a yard to participate. "We like to say every square foot counts," Growing Wild program coordinator Patrick Lindquist told WBUR's Amanda Beland. "So even if you only have a deck or a patio, pollinators will definitely be grateful that you made that decision."
Free pets: The MSPCA is waiving adoption fees today through Sunday in an effort to make some space in their shelters. The group says dog adoptions are down about 23% year-over-year because of several factors, and that larger dogs are in particular need of new homes. "The current economy is not in a great place," MSPCA project manager Jamie Garabedian told WBUR's Amy Sokolow. "Veterinary care is really expensive. Finding affordable housing that is pet friendly is really hard to do, and I think that's where the large dog piece comes into play."
- Prospective adopters are encouraged to just show up to one of the MSPCA's adoption centers in Boston, Methuen, Salem or Centerville — no advance registration required. You can view their adoptable animals here.
They're back: The Lowell Spinners return to LeLacheur Park tonight, after a multi-year hiatus. The Red Sox dropped the Spinners after 24 years as their Class-A affiliate in 2020 due to a larger minor league restructuring. But the team is being brought back as part of an amateur summer league for top college players, thanks to an ownership group that includes former Sox outfielder Johnny Damon.
- A welcome reprieve from World Cup ticket prices: Tickets for the Spinners' home-opener tonight against the Nashua Silver Knights top out at $15.
P.S.— Why did Boston Mayor Michelle Wu cancel a speech at Harvard? Take our Boston News Quiz and test your knowledge of this week's stories.
