Gov't Center Closure 2014 Discussion

[The EGE]

Bids are due in two days.

The MassDOT official blog is reporting that site work will begin in the spring and the 24-month closure will begin in the summer.

I will be making some trips, probably with a borrowed camera better than my regular point-and-shoot, to document the station for posterity prior to the closure. I may attempt to get permission to photograph the old Brattle Loop platform as well.

[RailBus63]

I will be making some trips, probably with a borrowed camera better than my regular point-and-shoot, to document the station for posterity prior to the closure. I may attempt to get permission to photograph the old Brattle Loop platform as well.

I did that myself on Sunday. It was nice because while there were some passengers in the station to show that it was in use, there weren't so many to distract from the overall station architecture and features.

Even though I've passed through this station many times over the years, I was also somewhat amazed as I was taking photographs at how little it has changed since I first started riding and railfanning the T in the late 1970's. There are various stations left that still have not been extensively renovated yet (Boylston, Haymarket, Prudential, Hynes/ICA) but they have received new lighting and in some cases new platform flooring and other changes. Government Center and Bowdoin feel almost exactly the same today as they did 35 years ago.

[BigUglyCat]

...state transportation Secretary Richard A. Davey decided recently to keep the station open until after the reopening of the Callahan Tunnel, which is scheduled to close for construction from the end of December to the end of March.

http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/dow ... ion_u.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Adams_Umass_Boston]

They have been spray paint markers on the floors, and the escalator on the Blue Line Platform was pulled out and is out of service. So they are gearing up for some of the prep work.

[ns3010]

The track has been removed on the Brattle Loop. I have a photo that I'll post later today.

[ns3010]

10/2/13, 6:15 pm

[connartist88h]

Though previously mentioned only as part of the Government Center rehabilitation plans, full night and weekend station service has been added to Bowdoin as of Saturday, December 28, coinciding with the closure of the Callahan tunnel.

[boblothrope]

Though previously mentioned only as part of the Government Center rehabilitation plans, full night and weekend station service has been added to Bowdoin as of Saturday, December 28, coinciding with the closure of the Callahan tunnel.

Good to know.

Here's an official source: http://www.mbta.com/about_the_mbta/news ... 6442451156" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Someone needs to tell the people who publish http://www.mbta.com/uploadedFiles/Docum ... hedule.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and http://www.mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/ ... opId=10409" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; , which still say Bowdoin is closed after 6:30 pm and on weekends.

[Adams_Umass_Boston]

I plan on personally taking advantage of it.

[djimpact1]

Just a hair over 50 years later from when it opened in its current form, we now have an "official" date of closure for Government Center...Saturday, March 22, 2014.

Updated project details (pdf): http://www.mbta.com/uploadedfiles/Ridin ... ovtCtr.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[The EGE]

Related: it came out in last month's MBTA ROC public meeting that the idea of a pedestrian tunnel from State to DTX is under serious consideration. It sounded like it would involve buying a corridor through the basement of one of two buildings on Washington Street to minimize the impacts from attempting to tunnel under them. No word on whether it would be doable in time for any of the GC closure.

[deathtopumpkins]

Apologies if this has already been covered, but will they be extending B and D trains to North Station during the closure? That PDF mentions at one point increased Haymarket service, but is there a loop at Haymarket?

[saulblum]

Apologies if this has already been covered, but will they be extending B and D trains to North Station during the closure? That PDF mentions at one point increased Haymarket service, but is there a loop at Haymarket?

http://www.mbta.com/riding_the_t/default.asp?id=26899" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

During Government Center's closure, Green Line trains can pass through Government Center station but not stop there. The last downtown stop will generally be the following for each branch:

• B Line (Boston College) will end at Park Street
• C Line (Cleveland Circle) will end at North Station
• D Line (Riverside) will end at Park Street during rush hours, and North Station at other times
• E Line will end at Lechmere

[deathtopumpkins]

Thanks, I somehow missed that on the website when I looked at it earlier.

So basically they're just truncating Gov't Ctr service to Park St.

[CRail]

Logistical note regarding Riverside trains: Trips terminating at Park Street will continue to loop at Government Center in order to enter the correct berth at Park Street.