Construction’s finally finished at Arlington

After three years of work, fully accessible MBTA stop unveiled

 “Welcome to the new Arlington station.”

That announcement boomed over the intercom at the Green Line T stop yesterday, where riders were greeted by three new elevators, a shiny new mezzanine and raised platforms after years of debris and construction signs.

The station will be officially unveiled today, marking the end of what felt like an endless odyssey to some commuters. Construction began in 2006, and was prolonged when workers realized the mezzanine, first built in 1913, was heavily corroded and needed to be replaced.

For the first time in 90 years, Arlington will be accessible to all riders, according to the MBTA. Arlington marks the first Green Line station between Park Street and Kenmore with elevator access. It’s also now the first Green Line stations with public restrooms.

Several Green Line stations are still without elevators, though Copley, Government Center and Science Park stations are all scheduled to get them. The T was also forced to make significant strides to improve accessibility following a 2006 settlement with the Boston Center for Independent Living.

Last year, T officials said they hoped to increase the number of overall stations with elevators from 76 to 85 by 2012.