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MBTA Riders Prepare For Government Center Station Shutdown

BOSTON (CBS) - Call it the last stop at Government Center, at least for awhile. The station is about to get a two-year face lift that will make it accessible to all riders. When you consider some 11,000 commuters pass through the station each week day, that's no easy goodbye.

"I've been taking the train here on and off for two years," said passenger Ina Lavin. "I'll miss it because frankly it's more convenient for me to get off here."

It's the system's ninth busiest stop where passengers can transfer between the green and blue lines. But now the colors for some commuters are a bit jumbled as they try to figure out a new route. "I work off the red line. There's no connection from the blue to the red line. So I'm going to have to go from blue to orange to red, a big swoop," said Caitlin Ward.

The last train out is just after 1 a.m. Saturday morning. Trains will now pass through the station without stopping leaving commuters to figure out how to make connections before or after the stop.

Check: Commute Impact

"It's door to door service for me, my office is right across the street," said Karan Singh.

The renovation not only includes new elevators at the station that now has only stairs and escalators, but a new glass entrance, and renovated lobby and platforms. MBTA General Manager Beverly Scott says a complete shutdown moves the project faster, and makes the commute predictable. "We give everyone certainty in terms of how you wind up your trip. You don't have to worry, oh can I come here today, or will that be changed tomorrow," she tells WBZ-TV.

Riders will have to map it, and endure for what some will be a long two years. The station is expected to reopen in the spring of 2016.

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