Longwood Medical Area station
Longwood Medical Area station serves as a light rail stop on the MBTA Green Line E branch and is situated within Boston's Mission Hill district. Taking its name from the nearby Longwood Medical Area, this stop holds the distinction of being the Green Line's busiest surface station, averaging 3,813 boardings daily as recorded in 2011.
History
Prior to the February 16, 1941 opening of the Huntington Avenue subway extending from to near Opera Place, streetcars ran along surface-level tracks accessed via the Boylston Street portal. Like other stops located on median reservations, Longwood Avenue featured straightforward asphalt platforms. In 1972, the MBTA initiated plans to reconstruct this section of the line, culminating in 1980 with upgrades to tracks and overhead wires designed to accommodate new light rail vehicles (LRVs). Service was temporarily truncated to Symphony on March 21, 1980; it was subsequently extended back to Northeastern by June 21 and further reached Brigham Circle on September 20.
The station's name changed from Longwood–Hospitals to Longwood Medical Area during the 1980s. It continues to be the most heavily used surface stop on the Green Line. In the early 2000s, as part of a $32 million project aimed at enhancing accessibility across thirteen stations on the B, C, and E branches, Longwood Medical Area underwent renovations that included installation of raised platforms. These improvements were completed by January 13, 2003.