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Charles/MGH and Longfellow Approach Viaduct Rehabilitation

The Longfellow Viaduct at Charles/MGH Station on the Red Line

The MBTA is repairing and upgrading Charles/MGH and the Longfellow Approach Viaduct to increase passenger safety, improve accessibility, and reduce the cost of maintenance.

  • Contract awarded: September 2019
  • Construction start: Spring 2025
  • Projected Completion: Summer 2028
  • Budget: $210 million
  • Status: Design development phase

Why We're Doing This Work

The Longfellow Viaduct carries the Red Line from the Beacon Hill tunnel portal over Charles Circle and through Charles/MGH Station to the Boston end of the Longfellow Bridge.

The viaduct, which was built between 1911 and 1912, is historically significant—it’s listed in the Massachusetts Historical Commission’s “Inventory of Historic and Archeological Assets of the Commonwealth”.

Building a Better T

As part of our $9.6 billion, 5-year capital investment plan, we're renovating stations, modernizing fare collection systems, upgrading services for our buses, subways, and ferries, and improving the accessibility of the entire system.

Learn more

Project Features

Viaduct Rehabilitation

  • Repair and replace structural elements to extend the service life of the viaduct over Charles Circle 

Charles/MGH Upgrades

  • Build a new accessible entrance/exit on the opposite side of Charles Circle near the Longfellow Bridge with access to both platforms
  • Improve egress capacity at Charles/MGH
  • Reconstruct deteriorated station platforms and ensure they are compliant with the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board and Americans with Disabilities Act
  • Upgrade track, power, security, public address systems, lighting, fire protection, communications, and signal systems

Span Work

  • Repair and replace deteriorated concrete and steel framing that supports the Red Line on the Longfellow Bridge.

Contact Information

We welcome input on the project design from riders and members of the community.

For questions and comments related to the Charles/MGH and Longfellow Approach Viaduct Rehabilitation, please send us an email at LongfellowViaduct@MBTA.com

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Building a Better T

As part of our $9.6 billion, 5-year capital investment plan, we're renovating stations, modernizing fare collection systems, upgrading services for our buses, subways, and ferries, and improving the accessibility of the entire system.

Learn more

Related Projects

View all projects