Accessiblity Improvements To Longwood Station

MBTA General Manager Daniel A. Grabauskas announced today the commitment to design and construct an accessible route from Riverway Park to Longwood Station located on the D branch of the T’s Green Line. Not part of the original scope of work to be performed at Longwood Station, General Manager Grabauskas, upon numerous discussions with the Town of Brookline on accessibility, has committed to allocating the necessary funds to provide Brookline residents with a secondary access to Longwood Station.

“We are on an aggressive path not only to make our stations accessible, but also, to provide customers with easy access to our stations,” said General Manager Grabauskas. “Today’s announcement is a win for both the T and the Town of Brookline as we work together to make public transportation easy to use and accessible to all.”

Part of the MBTA’s Light Rail Accessibility Program, both Brookline Village and Longwood stations will undergo complete accessibility improvements including raising and lengthening the inbound and outbound platforms, new ramps, shelters, lighting, signage, and other amenities. With these improvements, Longwood Station will become fully accessible from the Chapel Street side of the station. Design of the secondary access to Longwood station from Riverway Park is slated for completion this fall.

The MBTA is presently underway with phase II of the D Branch Rehabilitation Project, which includes the replacement of thousands of railroad ties; tree and brush cutting; signal and power upgrades; cleaning and improving ditches and drainage; and surfacing and aligning the track. Work to both Brookline Village and Longwood stations will commence during Phase II and continue throughout the fall and winter having no impact on service. At a cost of approximately $2m, both stations will be complete the end of winter 2008.