Massachusetts wins roughly $67 million in federal grant to make 14 Green Line stations accessible

Governor Maura Healey and federal and local officials announced that Massachusetts has secured a Federal Transit Administration All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP) award worth roughly $67 million to make 14 MBTA Green Line stations accessible to riders with disabilities.

The announcement, made at an event in Brookline that included Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Ed Markey, FTA regional administrator Peter Butler, state transportation leaders and disability advocates, described upgrades such as widened platforms, bridge-plate compatibility with existing Green Line trains, benches and other ADA features. "This is a big win for our state," Healey said, noting officials had pursued the maximum federal share available through the program.

Why it matters: Officials said the improvements will allow riders who use wheelchairs and others with mobility challenges to board trains independently at stations that were not built to modern accessibility standards. Sen. Warren said federal investments also create "good union jobs" and stressed transit's role in connecting riders to health care, housing and employment.

What officials said: The governor told the crowd that the Biden administration awarded $343 million nationwide through the FTA program and that Massachusetts is receiving about 20% of that allocation; speakers used slightly different roundings of the figure (officials variously cited about $67 million, $67.6 million and "nearly $68 million"). FTA regional administrator Peter Butler thanked the state delegation and credited the bipartisan infrastructure law for enabling the award. Secretary of Transportation Monica Tibbets Knott said the Healy-Driscoll administration has pursued a whole-of-government approach to federal funding and that designs for the Green Line projects are complete.

Advocates and local officials: Joanne Daniels Feingold, the lead plaintiff in the Daniels-Feingold settlement with the MBTA, recounted the class-action effort that helped push the authority to act on accessibility. Olivia Richard, a wheelchair user and member of the Boston Center for Independent Living, said the accessibility upgrades are "essentially equivalent to constructing 14 new stations that never existed to me," describing the change the work will mean for daily travel and access to services.

Budget and timing: Officials said the federal grant will cover roughly 80% of the project costs and that the MBTA will provide the remaining approximately 20% from its capital budget. Event remarks indicated the projects would be put to bid in the summer and that construction is expected to begin in 2025. Specific total project costs beyond the federal share were not provided at the event.

Next steps and context: The award covers 14 stops across the B and C branches of the Green Line and will be coordinated with local roadway and redevelopment efforts, including Brookline's center-line work on Beacon Street. Officials said they will continue seeking federal discretionary funds for additional transportation projects.