T keeps LMA front and center with service changes

The MBTA recently changed the origins and destinations of its B (Boston College), C (Cleveland Circle), and D (Riverside) branches. Longwood is served by two stops on the D Line, including Fenway and Longwood, and four stops on the E Line, including the MFA, LMA, Brigham Circle, and Fenwood Road. The two stops on the D Line account for 25% of daily boardings across all D Line stations, and the four stops on the E Line account for 45% of daily boardings across all E Line stations.

The MBTA’s changes to service include:

• The Riverside D Line, which formerly terminated at Government Center, now runs two more stops, to North Station.
• The C Line swapped with the D line and now runs to Government Center instead of North Station.
• The B Line has been extended by one stop, from Park Street to Government Center, to simplify connections to and from the Blue Line.
• No changes were made for the E Line, which pending the opening of the Green Line Extension (GLX) to Somerville and Medford continues to run between Lechmere and Heath Street/VA Medical Center.

The vast number of people who commute to and from Longwood by a combination of North Station commuter rail and the Green Line was a key factor for T planners when choosing to have the D Line start and end at North Station. By offering a direct transfer at North Station to both of the Green Line branches that serve Longwood-area destinations - the D Line with stops at Longwood and Fenway Park, and the E Line with multiple stops on Huntington Avenue and at Brigham Circle - the T intentionally sought to maximize the convenience and attractiveness of transit for riders headed to Longwood from north of Boston.

“MASCO thanks General Manager Steve Poftak and the MBTA for recognizing what an important destination the Longwood Medical and Academic Area is for so many people throughout our region, and for planning Green Line service changes with this in mind,” said MASCO President and CEO David Sweeney. “We are pleased and grateful that maximizing access to the LMA was an important consideration in the T’s thinking.”

The T’s long-term plan for the GLX is to have the D and E branches of the Green Line run all the way to and from Union Square in Somerville and College Avenue in Medford when the GLX opens sometime next year. This routing plan is great news for patients, students, and workers headed to Longwood from those two cities and neighboring communities—creating a “one-seat ride,’’ one of the most important attributes to encourage travelers to use mass transit.

Learn more about the MBTA’s Green Line Schedule.