New elevators for America’s first subway station

BOSTON – December 21, 2012 - Dr. Beverly Scott rounded-out her first week as General Manager of the MBTA by cutting the ribbon on the new Park Street Station elevators in the corner of Boston Common.

“One of our main goals at the MBTA is to continue to ensure that all of our customers can access our systems safely and comfortably,” said MBTA General Manager Dr. Beverly Scott. “The opening of this new elevator system brings us closer to being a fully accessible system and now, the first subway station in America is now easier to access than ever before.”

The opening of these 2 new elevators at Park Street Station represents years of collaboration between the MBTA, City of Boston, the Massachusetts State Legislature and the disability community to further honor commitments made in the 2006 settlement between the MBTA, the Boston Center for Independent Living and several individuals to improve accessibility across the system. Because of this collaborative effort, the oldest station in the system is now safer and more accessible to all our riders—including customers with disabilities, seniors, families with strollers and visitors with luggage.

“I am pleased to join General Manager Beverly Scott for the opening of Park Street Station’s new elevators, which will improve access to one of the city’s most heavily used subway stations,” said State Representative Marty Walz. “These new elevators represent an important step in increasing T accessibility for the disability community and ensuring that our public transportation system meets the needs of every user.”

Making sure that all citizens and visitors have safe, comfortable access to one of the key stations in the T system has long been a goal for the MBTA, MassDOT and all levels of government in Boston, and Massachusetts.

City Councilor Michael Ross said, "I'm very pleased that these elevators will not only greatly increase accessibility to Park Street Station but that they also add to the many improvements to Boston Common as we continue to make America’s oldest and greatest park.”

The Park Street Station project consists of work including but not limited to the construction of two (2) elevators: One connecting the Boston Common to the Green Line Westbound Platform. The second connects the Green Line Westbound Platform to the Red Line Center Platform. In order to accommodate the Red Line elevator, stairs to the Red Line Center Platform were demolished and rebuilt in a new configuration. Between the two elevators at the Green Line level, there is a new elevator machine room. Electrical work included bringing power from the South Station substation via the tunnels. Site work included replacing over 16,000 square feet of paving adjacent to Tremont Street from the East Headhouse to the Visitor Center.

Kelly.Smith@state.ma.us