Owned by MBTA Disabled access Yes Platforms in use 2 Connections MBTA Bus, CT2 | Line(s) Green Line– "B" Branch Opened 1894 Tracks 2 | |
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Location Commonwealth Avenue at St. Marys Street
Boston, Massachusetts Rebuilt March 18, 2002 - November 18, 2003 Passengers (2011) 2,194 (weekday average boardings) Address Boston, MA 02215, United States Owner Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Similar Boston University East, Boston University West, Blandford Street, Pleasant Street, John Harvard | ||
Boston University Central is a surface-level light rail station on the MBTA Green Line "B" Branch, located the center median of Commonwealth Avenue west of St. Marys Street in Boston, Massachusetts, surrounded by the Boston University campus. It consists of two side platforms, which serve the "B" Branch's two tracks.
Contents
The station is fully handicapped-accessible, with raised platforms to allow level boarding onto low-floor trams and a high platform on the inbound side to serve high-floor trams. Boston University Central is one of only five surface stations on the "B" branch that is handicapped-accessible (the others are Boston University East, Harvard Avenue, Washington Street, and the branch's terminus at Boston College).
History
The station has the third-highest ridership on the "B" Branch (after only Harvard Avenue and Packards Corner). Because of their high ridership, Boston University East and Boston University Central were rebuilt with slightly raised platforms in 2002-03 to allow level boarding onto the new Type 8 trams. Service was provided to an interim station with temporary platforms between the two stops during construction. Construction began on March 18, 2002, a week behind schedule due to delays in finishing up similar work at Harvard Avenue and Washington Street. The project was then expected to be completed within six months.
However, poor weather and limited work periods (as most work could only be done during the four hours at night that no trains used the line) delayed the completion date first to December 2002, then March 2003. The contractor informed the MBTA in early 2003 that they would be unable to complete the work; a new contractor was chosen in mid-2003, but work did not resume until September. The stations were completed and reopened on November 18, 2003.
Bus connections
Four MBTA Bus routes have connections near the station:
The CT2 and 47 stop at Commonwealth Avenue at University Road (northbound) and Mountfort Street at Lenox Street (southbound) to the west of the station, and Park Drive at Beacon Street to the south. The 57 and 57A stop on Commonwealth Avenue at Saint Mary's Street directly across from the station.