Photo: James Rojas/WBZ NewsRadio
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — A ribbon cutting ceremony was held Friday for the MBTA’s Kendall/MIT headhouses in Cambridge, which had been undergoing renovations for years.
The project, aimed partly at modernizing the station, was done through a public-private partnership between the MBTA, MIT, BXP, and the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority. The inbound headhouse was opened three years ago, while the newly renovated outbound headhouse across Main Street was opened back in April, before Friday's ribbon cutting.
According to the T, the improvements to the headhouse include updated entrances and exits, elevators, escalators, and stairs. A rooftop space above the headhouse, called Urban Park Porch, was also added. It includes benches, greenery, and a pickleball court.
"Every day, thousands of people rely on Kendall/MIT Station to get to work, class, medical appointments and home to their families," Gov. Maura Healey said in a statement. "These improvements will make those trips safer, more reliable, and will create a better experience for everyone who passes through this station."
MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng called the headhouses the "front door to Kendall Square and the front door to the MBTA system for everyone who lives, works, studies, and visits."
Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui said good public infrastructure helps create "strong economic districts."
"The Red Line is essential to Cambridge, and it is wonderful to see such a beautiful investment in the infrastructure they rely on every day. With a second elevator, improved entrances, and a rooftop open to the public, we have made the Kendall/MIT Station more accessible, more comfortable, and more reflective of the innovative square it serves," Siddiqui said.
WBZ NewsRadio's James Rojas (@jamesrojas.bsky.social) reports.