Oh my gosh, we’ve made it! We’ve finally made it! We’re at the end of this HORRIBLE line! Okay, so this is the “grand terminus” of the B, and it’s way better than most other stations on it. And by “way better”, I mean that it’s…somewhat decent. Boston College, everybody!

Looking at the station’s yard.

The drop-off system at Boston College is interesting, to say the least. Normally, trains let out along a platform within the station complex that stretches around a building for MBTA employees. Simple enough, right? But SOMETIMES – ostensibly when three-car trains are operating – trains will let out at an in-median platform on Commonwealth Ave! Now isn’t that just a wee bit confusing?

The crazy boarding platform!

Boston College has a really weird boarding platform, as well. It’s basically a bunch of staircases and ramps going all over the place! Well, we’ll start with the “entrance”, which features some newspaper boxes, a staircase, and a ramp leading in the…general direction of the platform, I guess? It’s more complicated than it looks.

What is this insanity?!

Of course, despite the weirdness of the platform itself, this station has some actual amenities! Huzzah! There are benches and wastebaskets and a proper ADA platform, and best of all: shelters with benches under them! The B has finally figured it out! Too bad the platform can only board one car of a train. Yeah, that’s a pretty big design flaw, isn’t it?

Some trains in the station.

Station: Boston College

Ridership: Sadly, this is not a particularly well-used stop, with only 1,136 riders per weekday, slotting it at sixth-worst for the B. So…why is this the stop that gets all the amenities?

Pros: Yes, as I mentioned, there are proper amenities here, and Boston College feels like an actual, true station. It actually has benches under shelters!

Cons: There are three main problems with this station: the deboarding process is inconsistent, with two separate platforms; the multileveled inbound platform feels more complicated than it needs to be; and it can only board one car.

Nearby and Noteworthy: There’s a little business block next to the station with restaurants, and of course, it’s right near the sprawling Boston College campus.

Final Verdict: 6/10
And thus, we’ve reached the unsatisfying end of a rather unsatisfying adventure. The B Line is…terrible. And most of its stations are terrible. There’s definitely a lot of work that needs to be done to make this line wheelchair accessible, let alone…y’know, good. So hopefully, improvements are in the future for the most hated line in Boston. Stay tuned for “The B Line: Exposed“, coming out tomorrow!

Latest MBTA News: Service Updates

Well…it doesn’t get worse than this. We’ve hit the bottom of the barrel, people. I’m…I’m not even sure to begin with these stations. Let’s just head down the line.

The platform at Sutherland Road.

Okay, I have four stations to talk about, except none of them have anything! So…yeah, I have no idea how I’ll be able to write this review. But yeah, these four stations literally have nothing. Just…asphalt. Sutherland Road has some nice trees on the outbound platform, I guess.

Chiswick Road.

And Chiswick Road is more of the same. I would say that they should put benches on the inbound platforms, but you can’t, because they’re so narrow! There’s no room! When a train goes by, it feels like it could graze you!

The platform at Chestnut Hill Ave.

Okay, here’s Chestnut Hill Ave – looks identical to the other ones, right? WRONG. This station has the most narrow platforms I’ve ever seen at a train station. The picture is pretty deceiving of this, since the outbound side gets wider by the intersection, but as you go further down, the platform is just the yellow line. Now isn’t that funny? Passengers aren’t supposed to stand on the yellow line, yet here, there’s nowhere else to stand!

Moving on to South Street.

Anddddd…yeah, South Street is basically the same as the other ones. So, what else is there to say about these horrible stations? Uh…well, a few of them still have service alerts hanging up from 2012! Great to see that the B is up-to-date! Finally, I figured I’d mention the track connection between Chestnut Hill Ave and Cleveland Circle/Reservoir – it’s always cool to see trains running down there.

Alright, one train per station. And yeah, I know I used the first one in Washington Street, too…

Stations: Sutherland Road, Chiswick Road, Chestnut Hill Ave, and South Street

Ridership: These are some of the lowest-ridership stops on the B: Sutherland Road gets 856 riders per day, Chiswick Road gets 615, Chestnut Hill Ave gets 626, and South Street gets 214 (the least-used station on the B and the fourth least-used on the whole MBTA).

Pros: NOPE.

Cons: Can these even be considered “stations”? I mean, the MBTA website does, but THAT SEEMS PRETTY DUBIOUS TO ME. They literally have nothing at all. I’m basically reviewing strips of asphalt here! Wonderful!

Nearby and Noteworthy: It’s mostly apartments out here, but you’ll find a bit of retail in little pockets along Comm Ave.

Final Verdict: 1/10
These are definitely the WORST stations on the Green Line. Yes, the E Line street-running stops are bad, but at least they have T symbols, and some have shelters! Plus, they’re on wide sidewalks! I mean, with these stations, if you take a step backward a car will run you over, and if you take a step forward a train will run you over! Yeah, these stations are most definitely deserving of their bottom-of-the-barrel scores.

Latest MBTA News: Service Updates

Aha! We’ve finally hit a gold mine, people! Well…more like a mine of gold that’s really kinda lame and low quality, but better than what’s in the other mines surrounding it. Yes, we’ve arrived at Washington Street, and it’s…passable?

The platform!

Yes, Washington Street has ADA platforms! And proper barriers protecting passengers from traffic! And wheelchair ramps at the ends of the platforms! And a modern shelter on each side! And…no benches under them. Oh come on, really? Why can’t the B ever get this right?? Darn it…

I’m kinda cheating a bit, but here’s a train en route between Sutherland Road and Washington Street.

Station: Washington Street

Ridership: This is a major station on the B, and it has the fifth-highest ridership on the line, with 1,885 people per weekday. It’s kinda funny that nearby Warren Street actually gets more people, though, despite not being as major of a station in the T’s eyes.

Pros: We have proper platforms again! We have proper barriers again! We have proper shelters again!

Cons: But still no darn benches! The B gets so crowded that many people aren’t able to sit on the train, so why not let them sit at the station, at least?

Nearby and Noteworthy: There are some businesses here, but you’re not gonna find too much of note unless you walk (or take the 65) to Brighton Center, a little over a mile away.

Final Verdict: 6/10
Well, we’re basically at the level of the Boston University stations again. And honestly, Washington Street is slightly worse than those stations (it only has one shelter on each side, for example), but it’s a lot better than what’s around it. And as we head further west? Abandon all hope ye who enter…

Latest MBTA News: Service Updates

Harvard Ave is a horrible station because it deserves so much better, what with its accessibility and high ridership. That’s why I got into an all-caps rant in that review. However, with the trio of Griggs Street/Long Avenue, Allston Street, and Warren Street, we’re back to typical B Line badness – nothing to get too worked up about.

Well then…

Yeah, of course, “typical B Line badness” does mean “incredibly terrible”. Here we see the inbound platform at Griggs Street/Long Avenue, which is a ridiculously long name for a station, incidentally. All three stations have similar inbound platforms, with an ugly, benchless shelter and crumbling concrete barrier.

The outbound platform at Allston Street.

Okay, it has to be said that Allston Street’s outbound platform is slightly better than the other two. Yes, they’re all completely bare, which I guess can be excused this far out on the line – although based on the picture above, there are still some people that travel outbound even out here. Allston Street one-ups the other two stations with a somewhat proper barrier, however; Griggs Street and Warren Street are merely curbs.

Warren Street has quite a shelter!

Warren Street is more of the same for the most part, but it is one of the more unique stations on the B. The outbound platform is simply asphalt with no barrier, as usual, but the inbound side is on a really steep hill! Its shelter has to be super offset from the ground in order to be straight! Yes, there are still no benches, but it’s definitely an interesting sight.

There were a few train pictures I liked from these stations, so have three!

Stations: Griggs Street/Long Avenue, Allston Street, and Warren Street

Ridership: Griggs Street and Allston Street get pretty standard Green Line ridership, with 1,203 and 1,437 riders per day, respectively. Warren Street, on the other hand? It’s the fourth-busiest station on the B, with 2,047 riders per day! Huh…okay!

Pros: There isn’t much good to say about these stations, but at least each one is unique. Griggs Street/Long Avenue gets the reward for longest station name on the MBTA; Allston Street is the only B Line station with the metal barriers seen on the outbound platform; and Warren Street has that incredible hill!

Cons: Butttttttttttt…they’re still standard B Line stations. That means essentially nothing going outbound, and a single solitary shelter with no bench going inbound. Great…

Nearby and Noteworthy: There’s not much in the way of businesses around here, aside from a few supermarkets and convenience stores. I like the look of the apartments along this part of Commonwealth Ave, though!

Final Verdict: 3/10
Yeah, whatever, I’ve got nothing new to say here. However, I will say that these stations get imaginary bonus points for being unique!

Latest MBTA News: Service Updates

I thought this would be a good one! I THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE A GOOD ONE! It…it looked so promising… But nope, turns out Harvard Avenue is just as stupidly bad as every other B Line stop. Wonderful.

The outbound side.

The sad part is that the outbound side is actually okay! I mean, it has an ADA platform with a nice curve and a fence blocking passengers from traffic. The shelter has no benches under it, but it’s a modern shelter. The platform also has a wastebasket and a wheelchair lift. So yeah, one would think that if the outbound side is this competent, then the inbound side would have to be even better! Well…

WHAT IS THIS? WHAT IS THIS???

THE INBOUND PLATFORM IS A JOKE. A JOKE! LOOK AT ALL THOSE PASSENGERS CROWDED ON THAT TINY THING! SURE, THE PLATFORM IS ADA, BUT IS THERE SHELTER? NO! ARE THERE EVEN ANY BENCHES? NOPE! ALL YOU’VE GOT IS A HORRIBLE WASTEBASKET! ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!

An inbound train.

Station: Harvard Avenue

Ridership: Oh, you know, it’s only the BUSIEST STREET-RUNNING STOP ON THE ENTIRE GREEN LINE! It’s such a shame those 3,602 riders per weekday have nowhere to SIT!

Pros: The platform is great – it’s ADA, it has the yellow bumps, wonderful. And for the few people going outbound, they shouldn’t have much of a problem here.

Cons: Too bad the VAST majority of people here are going inbound! Because, you know, people commute into the city. And for a major “accessible” stop like this one, you would think a shelter would be a given. Heck, you would think a bench would be a given! My gosh, the 66 stops here, and it gets a shelter on one side and a few benches on the other side – you know it’s a bad station when the bus stops have more amenities than the train platform!

Nearby and Noteworthy: Harvard Ave is a major street lined with businesses, although Commonwealth Ave around here is mainly apartments.

Final Verdict: 4/10
This station is just…stupid. Considering the huge amount of riders it gets, how can the inbound platform get away with not even having a single bench??? Who thought it was a good idea to give the outbound platform a shelter but not the inbound? Harvard Ave gets a 4 because its platform is in good ADA condition, but only because of that. From a planning perspective, it deserves way lower.

Latest MBTA News: Service Updates

Finally we’ve left Boston University! My gosh, so much of the “straight” section of the B Line is in the shadow of BU! But now, we’re departing both the university and the “straight” section of the line as it takes a left onto the much more curvy part of Comm Ave. But first, we need to look at the final stations on this inner section of the line: Babcock Street and Packards Corner.

The shelter at Babcock Street.

Okay, one thing I can say about the shelters at the previous stations is that at least they were somewhat modern. Sure, they were benchless and horrible, but at least they looked decent. Welp, that’s been thrown out the window at these stations, where now we have these really ugly old shelters. And guess what? Still no benches!

Packards Corner’s platform.

Packards Corner is noteworthy because it’s where the B takes a left and leaves the 57 once and for all. And of course, I’m sure many of you know that Packards Corner has a track stub where the former A Branch to Watertown used to split off! It’s not much, but it’s cool to see. But…nah, the station itself is still terrible.

A train rounding the curve!

Stations: Babcock Street and Packards Corner

Ridership: Babcock Street has pretty average ridership, with 1,387 riders per weekday. Packards Corner, on the other hand, is one of the busiest stations on the Green Line! It gets 2,654 riders per weekday, and boasts the second-highest ridership on the B and the ninth-highest ridership for the Green Line branches.

Pros: Well, there’s a shelter on both inbound sides. That’s…nice. Packards Corner has a somewhat decently-sized barrier on its inbound platform.

Cons: Basically the same problems as before. These stations still don’t have benches under their shelters, and the platforms are in terrible condition.

Nearby and Noteworthy: There are a few final outposts of Boston University near here, but by this point, Comm Ave is mostly dominated by businesses and apartments. Also, check out the A Line stub at Packards Corner if you’re interested!

Final Verdict: 3/10
Meh. These stations aren’t at all noteworthy by themselves, aside from the stub at Packards Corner. The B Line still has no idea where to put its benches at stations, so sheltered seating is still out of the question. So yeah…nothing to see here.

Latest MBTA News: Service Updates

Boston University’s campus is hugeeeee! I mean, it’s really funny that it goes far beyond BU West Station, with modern buildings and dorms coming into the neighborhood of Saint Paul Street and Pleasant Street. And…uh…well, these stations could definitely be better, to say the least.

Saint Paul Street’s platform.

Hmm…yeah, we don’t have much to work with in the platform department for these two stations. For one thing, the barriers between the platform and the road are gone for the most part – that’s right, a mere curb separates you from getting run over by a car! Oh wait, I’m sorry…the inbound side at each station has a crumbling knee-high concrete barrier that doesn’t extend over the whole platform and probably does more harm than good. Great!

The platform at Pleasant Street.

And what about the shelters? Well, once again, they have no benches. Except…except…OH, WOW, BOTH SHELTERS ON THE OUTBOUND SIDE HAVE BENCHES! GREEEEEEAAAAATTTTT! SORRY, INBOUND PASSENGERS! Well, hey, at least inbound people get a WASTEBASKET! And it’s TERRIBLE! WONDERFUL! GUESS THAT WAS AN OXYMORON RIGHT THERE! YOU KNOW THE STATIONS ONLY GET WORSE FROM HERE?

A train heading inbound.

Stations: Saint Paul Street (B) and Pleasant Street

Ridership: These two stations are slightly below average for the Green Line, with 1,296 riders per day at Saint Paul Street and 1,167 riders per day at Pleasant Street. As I’ll discuss later, though, ridership at the latter can SPIKE on certain occasions.

Pros: Well…if you’re going outbound, I guess you have sheltered seating. Good for you?

Cons: I’m done ranting about the shelters…go back and read the all-caps paragraphs if you want to hear my opinions on them. You know what I AM going to rant about? Pleasant Street! I went to an event at Agganis Arena (I saw the Cure!) and afterward, the police had to BLOCK OFF the intersection in order to accommodate the GIGANTIC amount of people trying to cram into the front door of a B train! For heaven’s sake, GIVE THE PEOPLE SOME AMENITIES! YOU CAN’T PUT SUCH A TERRIBLE STATION OUTSIDE OF SUCH AN IMPORTANT ARENA!!!

Nearby and Noteworthy: More BU buildings, basically, including the arena! As you head into Brookline, however, you’ll find a quiet residential neighborhood.

Final Verdict: 3/10
Andddddddd we’re heading in a downward spiral! It irks me so much that these stations only have proper shelters with benches going outbound, while inbound passengers just have to stand. This is horrible for Pleasant Street in particular – once again, Agganis Arena is a huge arena! That tiny station CANNOT handle the amount of people that it gets!

Latest MBTA News: Service Updates

After the B Line crosses over I-90, we reach the next stop, Boston University West. It’s a little weird that they call it that, though, since Boston University continues west well past this stop! Oh well, dubious name aside, let’s see what this station is like.

Definitely a departure from the last few stops…

BU West has a few differences from previous stations right off the bat. Firstly, the platform is a lot narrower than before, which is rather annoying. Also, no longer is there a nice big fence between the platform and the road – now it’s just a small concrete barrier, and a sometimes-crumbling one at that!

Oh dear…

However, there is also some stuff to like about BU West. For one thing, its amenities are no worse than the other two BU stations – we still have two shelters on the inbound side with no benches, as well as a lame wastebasket. The outbound side even has a shelter with a bench…for some reason. Plus, BU West actually has artwork on the station signs, which gives it a lot of respect from me – this is the only B Line station with any form of art.

A train with some recognizable buildings in the background!

Station: Boston University West

Ridership: BU West only gets 704 riders per weekday, making it the fourth least-used station on the B. So, uh…yeah, not great.

Pros: It’s definitely competent for a B Line stop. It has shelters, although they’re benchless on the inbound side, and the art is especially a nice touch. Like I said, no other B Line station has artwork!

Cons: Still, the platforms are very narrow, and the barriers between them and the street are in pretty low quality. Plus, the benchless shelters are just as annoying as ever!

Nearby and Noteworthy: Possibly one reason for BU West’s low ridership is that it doesn’t really serve that many BU buildings (ironically, there are more of them as you go further west). Still, it covers the College of General Studies, and a few random businesses.

Final Verdict: 5/10
We’ve definitely experienced a drop in quality since the last few stations, and it only gets worse from here. BU West does have some nice artwork, but otherwise, its platforms are narrow, its inbound shelters are benchless, and its concrete barriers are mediocre. Yes, it’s better than many other B Line stations, but that isn’t saying much.

Latest MBTA News: Service Updates

Up next on this B Line tour, we’ve got two stops that achieved “appearing on the map” status before the map started showing every station. That’s right, we’re taking a look at BU East and BU Central, two stations that are rather close together. Well, okay, most stations on the B are ridiculously close together, but still…

The platform at BU East.

Well, let’s start with the positives first. I complained about the lack of ADA platforms at Blandford Street, but both of these stations have ’em! This area also has the nicest part of the B Line right-of-way, with bushes and trees lined up along the tracks. Finally, large fences separate the stations from the road itself, so they feel safer overall.

Standing between the two tracks at BU Central.

However, both of these stations feature a strange lack of amenities. Yes, they have two shelters on each side, but the shelters don’t have benches under them! There are just a few random benches sporadically placed around the platform. Both inbound sides also feature a really lame trash bin that’s just kinda…there.

A train leaving BU East.

Stations: Boston University East and Central

Ridership: Both stops get pretty high ridership, with 1,747 people per day for BU East and 2,194 people per day for BU Central. Obviously the main demographic for these stations is students.

Pros: Conceptually, these stations could be E Line stations. They have similar shelters, rather nice right-of-ways, and ADA platforms.

Cons: However, they have one major flaw that just grinds my gears: no benches under the shelters. How hard is it to just stick a bench under there? Blandford Street managed to do it just fine!

Nearby and Noteworthy: It’s all in the names: BU buildings are the order of the day here.

Final Verdict: 6/10
These would be fine stations if they actually had benches that were in the right places! Instead, they both have perfectly fine shelters, but nothing under them. What a wasted opportunity – if the common courtesy of putting benches under shelters can be considered an “opportunity”.

Latest MBTA News: Service Updates

Awwww yeah, it’s happening! Here we go! Get ready for the most hated line on the entire MBTA! That’s right, it’s time to review EVERY! SINGLE! STATION! ON! THE! B! Let’s get this horrible tour started with…a somewhat decent station, actually. Time to talk about Blandford Street!

The platform.

Blandford Street is the first station out of the portal for the B, and it’s right near Kenmore Square – this means there’s a nice view of the Prudential and the Citgo sign. So what about the station itself? Honestly, it feels a lot like an E Line station, minus the ADA platform. There are two shelters on each side, and the right-of-way is reasonably pretty!

A train hanging out next to a 57.

Into the abyss you go!

Station: Blandford Street