Boston College station

Last updated
Boston College
Boston College MBTA station, Brighton MA.jpg
Inbound train at Boston College station in 2011
General information
Location Commonwealth Avenue at Lake Street
Boston and Newton, Massachusetts
Coordinates 42°20′24.3″N71°10′1.2″W / 42.340083°N 71.167000°W / 42.340083; -71.167000
Platforms2 side platforms
Tracks1 balloon loop
Construction
AccessibleYes
History
OpenedAugust 15, 1896
Rebuiltc. 1916, 1930, 2009
Previous namesLake Street (until 1947)
Passengers
20111,136 (weekday inbound boardings) [1]
Services
Preceding station MBTA.svg MBTA Following station
Terminus Green Line South Street
toward Government Center
Location
Boston College station

Boston College station is a light rail station on the MBTA Green Line B branch. It is located at St. Ignatius Square on the Boston College campus near the intersection of Commonwealth Avenue and Lake Street, on the border between the Brighton neighborhood of Boston and the Chestnut Hill neighborhood of Newton, Massachusetts. Originally opened in 1896, it has been the terminus of the Commonwealth Avenue line since 1900. The current station is planned to be replaced by a new station located in the median of Commonwealth Avenue just east of Lake Street.

Contents

History

Original median station

Boston Elevated Railway trams at Lake Street in March 1900 Trams at Lake Street station, March 1900.jpg
Boston Elevated Railway trams at Lake Street in March 1900

On August 15, 1896, the Boston Elevated Railway (BERy) added tracks on newly constructed Commonwealth Avenue from the Newton town line east to Chestnut Hill Avenue, where they were connected to the existing Beacon Street Line at Cleveland Circle. [2] Except for rights to the Watertown Line inherited from the West End Street Railway, the BERy did not have operating rights in Newton. Instead, the Commonwealth Avenue Street Railway was built westward on the wide median of Commonwealth Avenue to Auburndale in 1895. [3] It was soon taken over and operated by the Middlesex and Boston Street Railway (M&B). The two lines met at Lake Street station on the town line. [2]

BERy cars from Lake Street began running into the Tremont Street subway via Beacon Street when the subway opened on September 1, 1897. On May 26, 1900, tracks on Commonwealth Avenue were completed from Chestnut Hill Avenue to Packards Corner, at which point Lake Street became the terminus of the Commonwealth Avenue line, which also ran into the subway. [2] Except for occasional service disruptions due to track work or blockages on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston College has been the terminus of the Commonwealth Avenue line (B branch) since 1900. [2]

Move to the north

A train at the 1930-constructed platforms in 1965 MBTA 3146 at Boston College, September 1965.jpg
A train at the 1930-constructed platforms in 1965

Around 1916, the BERy constructed a pair of loops on the north side of Commonwealth Avenue just west of Lake Street; this allowed use of two-car motor-trailer trains on the line. [4] [5] [6] On November 20, 1918, an out-of-service BERy streetcar rolled down a hill and destroyed the station, killing a waiting passenger. [7]

Remaining M&B service on Commonwealth Avenue was replaced by buses in 1930, and the BERy no longer needed the old median station. The BERy built a storage yard on the site of the loops; a platform and waiting room in the yard opened on September 12, 1930. [2] The M&B used a bus stop adjacent to the new inbound platform. [8] The station was renamed to Boston College on May 21, 1947, by vote of the Boston Elevated Railway trustees after Boston College bought adjacent land for their Newton campus. [8] Boston College station has not had MBTA bus connections since the 535 Lake Street–Auburndale route (the direct descendant of the Commonwealth Avenue Street Railway) was discontinued in 1976. [9] (Boston College operates a system of private shuttle buses, but they stop on the campus rather than at the station. [10] )

On May 23, 1979, the MBTA opened a new carhouse at the Lake Street yard. The carhouse provides light maintenance services to reduce the load on Reservoir and Riverside. [11] [2] In early 1980, the platforms were replaced; additional platforms were also constructed along the median east of Lake Street. [12] Not a separate station, they were used when congestion in the yard (common with the introduction of the new Boeing LRVs) prevented trains from entering or exiting. The eastbound of these platforms, and a bus shelter on the westbound side, were removed during a 1980-81 renovation of the line. [9] The westbound platform is still occasionally used when track work is being performed in the yard. [13] [14]

Proposed new station

A train at the 2009-opened inbound platform Inbound train at Boston College station, December 2018.JPG
A train at the 2009-opened inbound platform

In the early 2000s, the MBTA modified key surface stops with raised platforms for accessibility as part of the Light Rail Accessibility Program. Portable lifts were installed at Boston College around 2000, along with a wooden mini-high platform (for level boarding on older Type 7 LRVs) on the inbound side. [15] [16] By 2005, the MBTA planned to relocate the station to the median of Commonwealth Avenue, just east of the Lake Street intersection. [17] Boston College later agreed to aid the project financially and to donate land to widen Commonwealth Avenue to accommodate the station. [18] New raised platform allowing level accessible boarding on newer low-floor Type 8 LRVs were completed on the existing site in 2009 at a cost of $296,000. [19]

Planning continued for the relocated station. The project was advanced to 15% design by a $656,000 federal grant and $164,500 of MBTA funds. [19] The design was advanced to the 30% level in November 2012 with an environmental review package completed the previous month. Once funds are made available, the new station was expected to take 24 months to construct at a cost of $20 million. [20]

The new station was planned to have two side platforms, with a narrower platform between the tracks for passengers offloading from outbound trains and a wider platform with canopies for those waiting to board inbound trains. [19] It would eliminate trains having to cross Commonwealth Avenue traffic to access the platforms, which would reduce moves across Commonwealth Avenue by 89%, though trains would still need to cross to access the yard. [20] It was to have raised platforms for accessible boarding on newer low-floor LRVs and a ramp for accessible boarding on older high-floor LRVs. [21]

A $29.3 million reconstruction and expansion of Lake Street Yard to support new Type 10 LRVs is planned for the late 2020s. [22] A design shown in March 2024 called for the maintenance building to be removed, the yard tracks reconfigured, and a traction power substation added. Boston College station would be relocated to the median of Commonwealth Avenue, with a single island platform east of Lake Street. [23]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green Line (MBTA)</span> Light rail system

The Green Line is a semi-metro system run by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) in the Boston, Massachusetts, metropolitan area. It is the oldest MBTA subway line, and with tunnel sections dating from 1897, the oldest subway in North America. It runs underground through downtown Boston, and on the surface into inner suburbs via six branches on radial boulevards and grade-separated alignments. With an average daily weekday ridership of 137,700 in 2019, it is the third-most heavily used light rail system in the country. The line was assigned the green color in 1967 during a systemwide rebranding because several branches pass through sections of the Emerald Necklace of Boston.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central station (MBTA)</span> Subway station in Cambridge, Massachusetts, US

Central station is a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) rapid transit station in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It serves the Red Line and has a street-level terminal for the MBTA bus system. It is located at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue with Western Avenue, Prospect Street, and Magazine Street at Central Square.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Longwood Medical Area station</span> Light rail station n Boston, Massachusetts, US

Longwood Medical Area station is a light rail stop on the MBTA Green Line E branch, located in the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. It is named for the adjacent Longwood Medical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brigham Circle station</span> Light rail station in Boston, Massachusetts, US

Brigham Circle station is a station on the light rail MBTA Green Line "E" branch, located just east of Brigham Circle in the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. With raised platforms installed in a 2001-03 renovation, the station is accessible when served by low-floor streetcars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northeastern University station</span> Light rail station in Boston, Massachusetts, US

Northeastern University station is a surface-level trolley stop on the MBTA Green Line. It is located in a dedicated median along Huntington Avenue in Boston, between Opera Place and Forsyth Street, and is adjacent to the Krentzman Quad on the campus of Northeastern University. It is the first surface-level stop going outbound along the Green Line E branch; trolleys rise from a portal located between Opera Place and Gainsborough Street and continue along the surface down Huntington Avenue towards Mission Hill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lechmere station</span> Light rail station in Cambridge, Massachusetts, US

Lechmere station is a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Green Line light rail station in Lechmere Square in East Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is located on the east side of Monsignor O'Brien Highway near First Street, adjacent to the NorthPoint development. The accessible elevated station has a single island platform, with headhouses at both ends. It opened on March 21, 2022, as part of the Green Line Extension (GLX). Lechmere station is served by Green Line D branch and E branch service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Riverside station (MBTA)</span> Light rail station in Newton, Massachusetts, US

Riverside station is a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Green Line light rail station located in the Auburndale village of Newton, Massachusetts. It is the western terminal of the Green Line D branch service. The station is located near the interchange of Interstate 95 and the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) and serves as a regional park and ride station. West of the station is Riverside Yard, the main maintenance facility and largest storage yard for the Green Line. The station is fully accessible.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heath Street station</span> Light rail station in Boston, Massachusetts, US

Heath Street station is a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Green Line light rail station in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the southwestern terminus of the Green Line E branch. It is located at the intersection of South Huntington Avenue and Heath Street on the border between the Mission Hill and Jamaica Plain neighborhoods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hynes Convention Center station</span> Subway station in Boston, Massachusetts, US

Hynes Convention Center station is an underground light rail station on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Green Line. It is located at the intersection of Newbury Street and Massachusetts Avenue near the western end of the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. The station is named for the Hynes Convention Center, which is located about 700 feet (210 m) to the east along Boylston Street. It has two side platforms serving the two tracks of the Boylston Street subway, which are used by the Green Line B branch, C branch, and D branch. The main entrance to the station from Massachusetts Avenue leads to a fare lobby under the 360 Newbury Street building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green Line E branch</span> Light rail line

The E branch is a light rail line in Boston, Cambridge, Medford, and Somerville, Massachusetts, operating as part of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Green Line. The line runs in mixed traffic on South Huntington Avenue and Huntington Avenue between Heath Street and Brigham Circle, in the median of Huntington Avenue to Northeastern University, then into the Huntington Avenue subway. The line merges into the Boylston Street subway just west of Copley, running to North Station via the Tremont Street subway. It then follows the Lechmere Viaduct to Lechmere, then the Medford Branch to Medford/​Tufts. As of February 2023, service operates on eight-minute headways at weekday peak hours and eight to nine-minute headways at other times, using 13 to 17 trains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green Line C branch</span> Light rail line in Massachusetts, US

The C branch, also called the Beacon Street Line or Cleveland Circle Line, is one of four branches of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's Green Line light rail system in the Boston, Massachusetts metropolitan area. The line begins at Cleveland Circle in the Brighton neighborhood of Boston and runs on the surface through Brookline along the median of Beacon Street. Reentering Boston, the line goes underground through the St. Mary's Street incline and joins the B and D branches at Kenmore. Trains run through the Boylston Street subway to Copley where the E branch joins, then continue through the Tremont Street subway to downtown Boston. The C branch has terminated at Government Center station since October 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green Line B branch</span> Light rail line in Boston, Massachusetts

The B branch, also called the Commonwealth Avenue branch or Boston College branch, is a branch of the MBTA Green Line light rail system which operates on Commonwealth Avenue west of downtown Boston, Massachusetts. One of four branches of the Green Line, the B branch runs from Boston College station down the median of Commonwealth Avenue to Blandford Street. There, it enters Blandford Street portal into Kenmore station, where it merges with the C and D branches. The combined services run into the Boylston Street subway and Tremont Street subway to downtown Boston. B branch service has terminated at Government Center since October 2021. Unlike the other branches, the B branch runs solely through the city limits of Boston. The Green Line Rivalry between Boston College and Boston University is named in reference to the B branch, which runs to both universities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green Line D branch</span> Light rail line

The Green Line D branch is a light rail line in Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Newton, and Somerville, Massachusetts, operating as part of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Green Line. The line runs on a grade separated surface right-of-way for 9 miles (14 km) from Riverside station to Fenway station. The line merges into the C branch tunnel west of Kenmore, then follows the Boylston Street subway and Tremont Street subway to North Station. It is the longest and busiest of the four Green Line branches. As of February 2023, service operates on 8 to 9-minute headways at weekday peak hours and 8 to 11-minute headways at other times, using 13 to 19 trains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green Line A branch</span> Former streetcar line in Massachusetts, US

The A branch or Watertown Line was a streetcar line in the Boston, Massachusetts, area, operating as a branch of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Green Line. The line ran from Watertown through Newton Corner, Brighton, and Allston to Kenmore Square, then used the Boylston Street subway and Tremont Street subway to reach Park Street station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Museum of Fine Arts station (MBTA)</span> Light rail station in Boston, Massachusetts, US

Museum of Fine Arts is a surface-level light rail stop on the MBTA Green Line E branch, located the median of Huntington Avenue in Boston, Massachusetts, between Museum Road and Ruggles Street. The station is named after the adjacent Museum of Fine Arts, although it also provides access to Northeastern University, Wentworth Institute of Technology, and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Museum of Fine Arts station is accessible.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brookline Village station</span> Light rail station in Brookline, Massachusetts, US

Brookline Village station is a light rail station on the MBTA Green Line D branch, located in the Brookline Village neighborhood of Brookline, Massachusetts, United States. It was originally a commuter rail station on the Boston and Albany Railroad's Highland branch; it closed with the rest of the line in 1958 and reopened on July 4, 1959 as a light rail station. With 3,230 daily boardings, it is the third-busiest surface station on the D branch and the sixth-busiest surface station overall. Brookline Village station has raised platforms for accessibility with low-floor light rail vehicles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Babcock Street station</span> Light rail station in Boston, Massachusetts, US

Babcock Street station is a light rail stop on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Green Line B branch, located in the median of Commonwealth Avenue in the west part of the Boston University campus. The accessible station has two side platforms serving the line's two tracks, with access at Babcock Street and Pleasant Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amory Street station</span> Light rail station in Boston, Massachusetts, US

Amory Street station is a light rail stop on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Green Line B branch, located in the median of Commonwealth Avenue in the west part of the Boston University campus. The accessible station has two side platforms serving the line's two tracks, with access at Amory Street and St. Paul Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington Street station (MBTA)</span> Light rail station in Boston, Massachusetts, US

Washington Street station is a surface stop on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)'s Green Line B branch, located in Brighton, Boston. The station is located in the median of Commonwealth Avenue northeast of Washington Street. Washington Street station consists of two side platforms, which serve the B branch's two tracks. The station is fully accessible.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newton Corner station</span> Transit hub in Newton, Massachusetts, US

Newton Corner is an MBTA bus transfer point in the Newton Corner neighborhood of Newton, Massachusetts, located on the rotary where Washington Street crosses the Massachusetts Turnpike. The Newton Corner station, known simply as Newton for much of its lifetime, served commuters on the Worcester Line from 1834 to 1959. A streetcar stop, located on the surface streets, served a number of routes beginning in 1863, including the Green Line A branch until 1969. Newton Corner is now a stop and transfer point for MBTA routes 52, 57, 501, 504, 553, 554, 556, and 558, which include express routes to downtown Boston as well as local routes, with stops on the north and south sides of the rotary.

References

  1. ↑ "Ridership and Service Statistics" (PDF) (14th ed.). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Clarke, Bradley H.; Cummings, O.R. (1997). Tremont Street Subway: A Century of Public Service. Boston Street Railway Association. pp. 58–59. ISBN   0938315048.
  3. ↑ Beautiful Newton: The Garden City of Massachusetts. Newton Graphic Publishing Company. p. 26 – via Internet Archive.
  4. ↑ "Sheet 10". Track Lengths of Surface Lines and Subway. Boston Elevated Railway. 1921 – via Ward Maps.
  5. ↑ "Part of Ward 6, City of Newton". Atlas of the City of Newton, Massachusetts. G.W. Bromley and Company. 1917 – via Ward Maps.
  6. ↑ "Part of Brighton, Ward 25, City of Boston". Atlas of the City of Boston, Wards 25 & 26, Brighton. G.W. Bromley and Company. 1916 – via Ward Maps.
  7. ↑ Annual Report, Part 1. Massachusetts Public Service Commission. 1919. p.  44 – via Internet Archive.
  8. 1 2 Clarke, Bradley H. (2003). Streetcar Lines of the Hub. Boston Street Railway Association. p. 99. ISBN   0938315056.
  9. 1 2 Belcher, Jonathan. "Changes to Transit Service in the MBTA district" (PDF). Boston Street Railway Association.
  10. ↑ "BC Shuttle Bus". Boston College Transportation and Parking Services. Archived from the original on 29 July 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  11. ↑ Sanborn, George M. (1992). A Chronicle of the Boston Transit System. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Archived from the original on 2019-11-27. Retrieved 2017-02-28– via MIT.
  12. ↑ 1979 Annual Report. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. 1979. p.  27 – via Internet Archive.
  13. ↑ "Alerts: Subway". Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. May 31, 2021. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Alerts: Green Line B". Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. September 18, 2023. Archived from the original on September 18, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Executive Summary" (PDF). Program of Mass Transportation. Boston Regional Metropolitan Planning Organization. January 2004. pp. 2–9. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 20, 2012.
  16. ↑ "Subway Map" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 1, 2001.
  17. ↑ "Accessibility Projects at the MBTA" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. March 2005.
  18. ↑ "Chapter 9: Transportation and Parking" (PDF). Boston College Institutional Master Plan. Boston College. June 20, 2008.
  19. 1 2 3 Rocheleau, Matt (28 September 2012). "MBTA to hold meeting on $20m project to rebuild Boston College Station". Boston Globe. Archived from the original on October 1, 2012.
  20. 1 2 "Green Line - Boston College Station". Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Archived from the original on July 19, 2017.
  21. ↑ Jacobs Engineering (8 August 2012). "MBTA Boston College Station: 15% Design Submittal" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 December 2015.
  22. ↑ "Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority FY23-27 Capital Investment Plan (CIP): Proposed" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. March 2022. p. 66.
  23. ↑ "Green Line B Branch Improvements and Accessibility Upgrades" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. March 22, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.