MBTA completes B Branch project

© MBTA

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the $29 million B Branch Station Consolidation project.

The project was part of the Green Line Transformation (GLT) program.

The project was completed months in advance. Work included 225-feet-long platforms designed to fit Type 10 supercars, two new stations, upgrading two intersections, and renewing 5,000 feet of track on the B Branch.

The newly opened stations combined the old St. Paul Street and BU West Stations into the Amory Street Station and combined the old Babcock Street and Pleasant Street Stations into the new Babcock Street Station.

In addition, four inaccessible stops were consolidated into two accessible stations, and the Commonwealth Avenue corridor’s enhancement and efficiency of the with fewer stops.

“Since it was initiated, GLT has worked with our municipal partners to implement many improvements on the B Branch and across the entire Green Line,” Steve Poftak, MBTA general manager, said. “Built in less than a year, the B Branch Consolidation project improves safety and accessibility as well as shortening the ride in this busy area. The completion of this project, alongside track and intersection upgrades, not only improves the efficiency of Commonwealth Ave. but also enriches the experience of riders from Boston College to downtown.”