Woodland station

Woodland
Woodland
	An outbound train at Woodland station in May 2016
General information
Location	1940 Washington Street; Newton, Massachusetts
Coordinates	42°19′59″N71°14′37″W / 42.33306°N 71.24361°W
Line(s)	Highland branch
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	2
Connections	MWRTA: 1
Construction
Parking	548 spaces ($6.00 fee)
Bicycle facilities	16 spaces
Accessible	Yes
History
Opened	September 1886; July 4, 1959
Closed	May 31, 1958
Rebuilt	March 2006
Passengers
2011	957 (weekday average boardings)
Services
Former services
	Woodland Railroad Station
	U.S. Historic district ; Contributing property
Built	1886
Architect	H.H. Richardson
Architectural style	Richardsonian Romanesque
Part of	Newton Railroad Stations Historic District (ID76002137)
Designated CP	March 25, 1976
Location
Location

Last updated September 22, 2024

Woodland station is a light rail stop on the MBTA Green Line D branch, located off Washington Street (MA-16) between the Newton Lower Falls and Auburndale villages of Newton, Massachusetts, United States. It serves as access to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital, as well as a park and ride station for nearby Route 128.

Woodland station was originally opened in 1886 by the Boston and Albany Railroad. The line closed in 1958 for conversion to light rail, and a new Woodland station slightly to the east in 1959. In 2006, the station was rebuilt for accessibility and a parking garage built as part of an adjacent transit-oriented development.

History

Commuter station

The Boston and Worcester Railroad opened a 1.4-mile (2.3 km) branch from Brookline Junction to Brookline on April 10, 1848.^[3] The Charles River Branch Railroad extended the Brookline branch to Newton Upper Falls in November 1852 and to Needham in June 1853.^[3]^[6] The Boston and Albany Railroad bought back the line, then part of the New York and New England Railroad, in February 1883. It was double-tracked and extended to the B&A main at Riverside; "Newton Circuit" service via the Highland branch and the main line began on May 16, 1886.^[3]

The B&A commissioned buildings from H.H. Richardson for three new stops at Boylston Street, Beacon Street, and Washington Street (later called Woodland) in October 1884. The three stations were built in largely unoccupied areas of Newton, and the attractive architecture was intended to bring in new residents who would become paying customers of the railroad.^[1] By this time, Richardson was in failing health; his successors Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge may have done most of the design work. Construction by the Norcross Brothers firm began in June 1886 – two months after Richardson's death –and finished that September.^[1] Similar to the other stations on the line, it was built in the heavy stone Richardsonian Romanesque style with a dominant roofline. The corners facing the tracks were cut back to serve as porches.^[1]

Conversion to streetcar service

In June 1957, the Massachusetts Legislature approved the purchase of the branch by the M.T.A. from the nearly-bankrupt New York Central Railroad for conversion to a streetcar line. Service ended on May 31, 1958.^[3] The line was quickly converted for trolley service, with bare platforms and small shelters at each station. The new Woodland station was built somewhat to the east of the original station, as the latter was surrounded by a golf course with no room for a parking lot. Because of this, the station building was not torn down like most on the line were. The branch reopened with trolley service on July 4, 1959.^[2] The M.T.A. was folded into the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) in August 1964.^[2]

Woodland is one of only four of Richardson's B&A stations, and the only one of his Newton Circuit stations, to survive past the 1960s.^[1] It was added to the Newton Railroad Stations Historic District in 1976, but has fallen into disrepair. It sits on the grounds of the Woodland Golf Club, which uses it as a storage space.^[7]

In October 1997, Woodland was identified as a possible site for a parking garage to replace its 450-space surface lot.^[8] After numerous delays, the MBTA signed a ground lease agreement with a private developer in 2004. Under the terms of the agreement, the developer paid for the construction of a 548-space parking garage, accessible platforms, and entrance road to the station in exchange for rights to construct a transit-oriented development with rental apartments on the former parking lot.^[9] The new platforms and garage opened in March 2006; the Arborpoint at Woodland Station development broke ground in April 2006 and opened in October 2007.^[4]^[10]^[11]

Related Research Articles

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 101,000 in 2023, it is among the most heavily used light rail systems 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.

Longwood station is a light rail station on the MBTA Green Line D branch, located on Chapel Street in Brookline, Massachusetts, on the border with Boston, just north of Longwood Avenue. It serves the Longwood Medical Area, the Colleges of the Fenway, and residential areas of Brookline. The station opened with the rest of the line on July 4, 1959. After renovation work completed in 2009, Longwood station is accessible from both Chapel Street and Riverway Park.

The Boston and Albany Railroad was a railroad connecting Boston, Massachusetts to Albany, New York, later becoming part of the New York Central Railroad system, Conrail, and CSX Transportation. The mainline is currently used by CSX for freight as the Berkshire Subdivision and Boston Subdivision. Passenger service is provided on the line by Amtrak, as part of their Lake Shore Limited service, and by the MBTA Commuter Rail system, which owns the section east of Worcester and operates it as its Framingham/Worcester Line.

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.

Reservoir station is a light rail station on the MBTA Green Line D branch, located in Brookline, Massachusetts, adjacent to the Cleveland Circle area of Brighton. The station is adjacent to Reservoir Yard and Carhouse, with the Cleveland Circle terminus of the C branch just a block away. With a daily ridership of 3,395, Reservoir is the second-busiest surface stop on the D branch.

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 June 2024, service operates on 6 to 8-minute headways at weekday peak hours and 7 to 13-minute headways at other times, using 13 to 19 trains.

The Highland branch, also known as the Newton Highlands branch, was a suburban railway line in Boston, Massachusetts. It was opened by the Boston and Albany Railroad in 1886 to serve the growing community of Newton, Massachusetts. The line was closed in 1958 and sold to the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), the predecessor of the current Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), which reopened it in 1959 as a light rail line, now known as the D branch of the Green Line.

Quincy Center station is an intermodal transit station in Quincy, Massachusetts. It is a transfer station between the MBTA Red Line subway, MBTA Commuter Rail's Old Colony Lines and Greenbush Line, and a number of MBTA bus routes. It is located between Hancock Street and Burgin Parkway in the Quincy Center district. Opened in 1971, the station was covered by a large parking garage which was closed in 2012 due to structural problems and removed several years later. The station is accessible on all modes.

Waban station is a surface-level light rail station on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's Green Line D branch, located just south of Beacon Street at Waban Square in the Waban section of Newton, Massachusetts. The station is located below grade; access to both platforms is via Wyman Street on the outbound side of the tracks or a stairway from Beacon Street. Waban is not accessible.

Fenway station is a light rail stop on the MBTA Green Line D branch, located under Park Drive near the Riverway in the Fenway–Kenmore neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. It opened along with the rest of the D branch on July 4, 1959, when trolleys replaced Highland branch commuter rail service. The station is fully accessible from Park Drive via the Landmark Center parking lot, as well as from Miner Street. Named after the Fenway neighborhood rather than Fenway Park, it is slightly further from the stadium than Kenmore, though still heavily used during events.

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.

Beaconsfield station is an MBTA light rail station in Brookline, Massachusetts. It serves the Green Line D branch. It is located off Dean Road and Beaconsfield Road just south of Beacon Street. Like the other stops on the line, it was a commuter rail station on the Boston and Albany Railroad's Highland branch until 1958, when the line was closed and converted to a branch of what is now the Green Line. The station reopened along with the rest of the line in 1959. Beaconsfield is not accessible, though a reconstruction for accessibility is planned.

Attleboro station is a commuter rail station on the MBTA's Providence/Stoughton Line located in Attleboro, Massachusetts. By a 2018 count, Attleboro had 1,547 daily riders, making it the fourth busiest station on the system outside Boston.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the MBTA</span> Story of mass transit in the Boston US area

The history of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and its predecessors spans two centuries, starting with one of the oldest railroads in the United States. Development of mass transportation both followed existing economic and population patterns, and helped shape those patterns.

Brookline Hills station is a light rail station on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Green Line D branch in the Brookline Hills neighborhood of Brookline, Massachusetts. The station has two side platforms serving the line's two tracks. It was closed from April 2021 to January 2022 as part of adjacent construction on a Brookline High School building, which included renovations to make the station accessible.

Auburndale station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station in Auburndale, Massachusetts. It serves the Framingham/Worcester Line. It is located next to the Massachusetts Turnpike near Lasell College. The modern station platform, built around 1961, replaced a highly acclaimed 1881 depot building designed by H. H. Richardson. A full renovation of the station for accessibility is planned.

Chestnut Hill station is a light rail station on the MBTA Green Line D branch, located off Hammond Street north of Massachusetts Route 9 in the Chestnut Hill neighborhood of Newton, Massachusetts. The station has two side platforms serving the line's two tracks. Chestnut Hill station is not accessible, but renovations are planned.

The Newton Railroad Stations Historic District in Newton, Massachusetts is composed of three geographically separate historic railroad stations and one baggage/express building on the former Boston and Albany Railroad Highland branch, which was converted to MBTA Green Line D branch in 1959.

Butler station is a light rail station in Boston, Massachusetts. It serves the MBTA Ashmont–Mattapan High-Speed Line. It is located at Butler Street in the Lower Mills section of the Dorchester neighborhood. It serves a small residential area sandwiched between the Neponset River, Cedar Grove Cemetery, and Dorchester Park. Butler station has no MBTA bus connections. It is accessible via a wooden mini-high ramp on the station's single island platform.

Framingham station is a historic Boston and Albany Railroad station located in downtown Framingham, Massachusetts. Designed by noted American architect H. H. Richardson, it was one of the last of the railroad stations he designed in the northeastern United States to be built. The station, built in 1884–85, served as a major stop on the B&A Main Line as well as a hub for branch lines to Milford, Mansfield, Fitchburg, and Lowell. After years of deterioration, the station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 as the Framingham Railroad Station, and restored a decade later.

References

1 2 3 4 5 Ochsner, Jeffrey Karl (June 1988). "Architecture for the Boston & Albany Railroad: 1881-1894". Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians. 47 (2): 109–131. doi:10.2307/990324. JSTOR 990324.
1 2 3 Belcher, Jonathan. "Changes to Transit Service in the MBTA district" (PDF). Boston Street Railway Association.
1 2 3 4 5 Humphrey, Thomas J.; Clark, Norton D. (1985). Boston's Commuter Rail: The First 150 Years. Boston Street Railway Association. pp. 21–24. ISBN 9780685412947.
1 2 "MPO Agency Notes" (PDF). TRANSreport. Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization. April 2006 – via Internet Archive.
↑ "Ridership and Service Statistics" (PDF) (14th ed.). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. 2014.
↑ Karr, Ronald Dale (1995). The Rail Lines of Southern New England. Branch Line Press. pp. 277, 288–289. ISBN 0942147022.
↑ Roy, John H. Jr. (2007). A Field Guide to Southern New England Railroad Depots and Freight Houses. Branch Line Press. p. 274. ISBN 9780942147087.
↑ "INDEPENDENT STATE AUDITOR'S REPORT ON CERTAIN ACTIVITIES OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY: JULY 1, 1996 TO JULY 31, 2001" (PDF). Auditor of the Commonwealth. April 3, 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 8, 2017. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
↑ "Arborpoint at Woodland Station | Newton, MA" (PDF). TRA Brokerage. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
↑ Palmer, Thomas C. Jr. (April 27, 2006). "Firm starts 2d housing project tied to transit: Luxury apartments being built adjacent to Newton T station". Boston Globe.
↑ "National Development opens Arborpoint at Woodland Station" (Press release). New England Real Estate Journal. November 8, 2007.

External links

Media related to Woodland station at Wikimedia Commons

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.

[b&aarch-1] 1 2 3 4 5 Ochsner, Jeffrey Karl (June 1988). "Architecture for the Boston & Albany Railroad: 1881-1894". Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians. 47 (2): 109–131. doi:10.2307/990324. JSTOR 990324.

[netransit-2] 1 2 3 Belcher, Jonathan. "Changes to Transit Service in the MBTA district" (PDF). Boston Street Railway Association.

[150years-3] 1 2 3 4 5 Humphrey, Thomas J.; Clark, Norton D. (1985). Boston's Commuter Rail: The First 150 Years. Boston Street Railway Association. pp. 21–24. ISBN 9780685412947.

[transreport-4] 1 2 "MPO Agency Notes" (PDF). TRANSreport. Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization. April 2006 – via Internet Archive.

[bluebook-5] "Ridership and Service Statistics" (PDF) (14th ed.). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. 2014.

[sne-6] Karr, Ronald Dale (1995). The Rail Lines of Southern New England. Branch Line Press. pp. 277, 288–289. ISBN 0942147022.

[depots-7] Roy, John H. Jr. (2007). A Field Guide to Southern New England Railroad Depots and Freight Houses. Branch Line Press. p. 274. ISBN 9780942147087.

[8] "INDEPENDENT STATE AUDITOR'S REPORT ON CERTAIN ACTIVITIES OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY: JULY 1, 1996 TO JULY 31, 2001" (PDF). Auditor of the Commonwealth. April 3, 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 8, 2017. Retrieved February 4, 2016.

[9] "Arborpoint at Woodland Station | Newton, MA" (PDF). TRA Brokerage. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2016.

[10] Palmer, Thomas C. Jr. (April 27, 2006). "Firm starts 2d housing project tied to transit: Luxury apartments being built adjacent to Newton T station". Boston Globe.

[11] "National Development opens Arborpoint at Woodland Station" (Press release). New England Real Estate Journal. November 8, 2007.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]