MBTA officials unveiled a life-size mockup of their proposal for the Green Line of the future on Tuesday. The Type 10 “supercars” are 40 feet longer than current trolleys, and they feature a suite of upgrades aimed at making the line safer and more accessible.
That includes wider door frames, low-floor entrances with no stairs, four priority areas for riders with wheelchairs, increased capacity and a built-in collision avoidance system.
T officials are hoping the display — on view outside Boston’s City Hall Tuesday and Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. — will be an opportunity to get feedback from riders, especially on accessibility.
Sharon Ouellette visited Tuesday with her son Robert, who has cerebral palsy, is non-verbal and uses a wheelchair. She said the design was a significant upgrade from the current Green Line trolleys. Ouelette said she never takes the line because the current cars are inaccessible for her son.
“I think it’s going to be a lot easier,” she said. “I like that I can come in and put him here [at one of the four designated areas for wheelchairs near the train doors], and I don’t have to worry about asking people to move.”
Still, Oulette and others expressed concern about getting around traditional seating.
Kevin Farrell, who watched several visitors in wheelchairs attempt to navigate the trolley mockup as he sat near the door, noted that those parts of the trolley are unnavigable for wheelchairs.
“If you come on with a wheelchair, you can’t get down there with a fully seated load,” he said.
An MBTA spokesperson said the goal of the mockup is to solicit public feedback on the design, and that they would share the concerns about accessibility with the T’s project team.
“The MBTA hopes the public will share their thoughts with MBTA representatives on site the rest of today until 7 p.m. and again tomorrow 7-7 p.m.,” the spokesperson said.
The MBTA is paying CAF USA Inc. $810 million for the design, construction and delivery of the new Green Line vehicles. The first pilot cars are set to arrive in Boston in 2026, according to the transit agency, with the full fleet of new trolleys delivered in 2031.
