New Airport T station opens
The MBTA's new $23 million Blue Line Airport Station was officially opened today.
Under construction since April of 2000, the new facility is located some 500 feet east of the old Airport T station.
The new station was built by the MBTA in coordination with the Massachusetts Port Authority, which operates the airport, and the Central Artery project, which includes the Ted Williams Tunnel that runs from the airport, under Boston harbor into South Boston.
Speaking at today's official opening, Gov. Mitt Romney said "today we are taking an important step in our efforts to reinvigorate and enhance our transit system here in the Commonwealth and modernize our airport.
'' For too long, too many of our MBTA stations have been allowed to deteriorate and fall into disrepair. To reverse that problem, my administration has committed to improving our existing infrastructure and focusing first on what needs to be fixed'', Romney said.
The Blue Line runs six miles from the Bowdoin Station in downtown Boston through a tunnel under the harbor into East Boston and then continues into Revere where it terminates at the Wonderland Station. The current line has a total of 12 stations.
In recent years, however, there has been considerable discussion and studies conducted concerning extending the Blue Line from Revere across the Lynn Marsh into Lynn.
The new facility opening today features wider escalators and elevators to accommodate travelers with luggage, turnstiles with adjacent luggage slides and monitors with flight information.
The station has longer platforms to accommodate six-car trains.
Passengers are transferred from the new station to the airport by buses.
State Transportation Secretary Daniel Grabauskas pointed out that the station is one of the first things many air passengers coming into Boston see upon arrival. "This project will make the station a more inviting, accessible and enjoyable experience for hundreds of thousands of visitors.''
The new station is also part of the MBTA's $740 million project to modernize the Blue Line with new stations and a new fleet of 94 subway cars which will start going into service next year. 