130-691: Alewife station is a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) intermodal transit station in the North Cambridge neighborhood of Cambridge, Massachusetts . It is the northwest terminal of the rapid transit Red Line (part of the MBTA subway system) and a hub for several MBTA bus routes. The station is at the confluence of the Minuteman Bikeway , Alewife Linear Park , Fitchburg Cutoff Path , and Alewife Greenway off Alewife Brook Parkway adjacent to Massachusetts Route 2 , with
260-794: A dedicated tunnel in South Boston and on the surface, elsewhere including the SL1 route that serves Logan Airport . Washington Street service, a belated replacement for the Washington Street Elevated , began in 2002 and was expanded in 2009. Waterfront service began in 2004, with an expansion to Chelsea opened in 2018. MBTA predecessors formerly operated a large trolleybus network , much of which replaced surface streetcar lines. Four lines based out of Harvard station lasted until 2022, when they were replaced with conventional buses. Three Silver Line routes operated as trolleybuses in
390-493: A doubling of the number of routes with high-frequency service. As of October 2024 , the first changes are planned to be made on December 15, 2024, in areas northeast of downtown Boston. The second phase is planned to cover most of Boston and Brookline; the third and south phases are tentatively planned to cover northern and southern suburbs. Changes will take place through 2028. In 2022, the MBTA started cutting bus service due to
520-537: A driver shortage resulting from a long-term retirement trend accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic in Massachusetts . Despite paying for training to get a commercial driver's license and offering a $ 4,500 signing bonus, it ended the year short about 350 drivers, plus about 400 more needed to increase service to implement a proposed bus network redesign. Experts said the shortage was caused by the failure to raise
650-423: A few dozen to over 2,500. The larger lots and garages are usually near a major highway exit, and most lots fill up during the morning rush hour . There are some 22,000 spaces on the southern portion of the commuter rail system, 9,400 on the northern portion and 14,600 at subway stations. The parking fee ranges from $ 4 to $ 7 per day, and overnight parking (maximum 7 days) is permitted at some stations. Management for
780-512: A five-story parking garage for park and ride use. The station has three bike cages . Alewife station is named after nearby Alewife Brook Parkway and Alewife Brook, themselves named after the alewife fish. The Fitchburg Railroad (now the MBTA Commuter Rail Fitchburg Line ) opened through North Cambridge in 1842, followed by the now-closed Lexington Branch and Fitchburg Cutoff branch lines. An extension of
910-528: A number of parking lots owned by the MBTA is handled by a private contractor. The 2012 contract with LAZ Parking (which was not its first ) was terminated in 2017 after employees were discovered "skimming" revenue; the company paid $ 5.5 million to settle the case. A new contract with stronger performance incentives and anti-fraud penalties was then awarded to Republic Parking System of Tennessee. MBTA bus [REDACTED] The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) operates 152 bus routes in
1040-490: A number of stations added and rebuilt, especially on the Fairmount Line. Each commuter rail line has up to eleven fare zones, numbered 1A and 1 through 10. Riders are charged based on the number of zones they travel through. Tickets can be purchased on the train, from ticket counters or machines in some rail stations, or with a mobile app called mTicket. If a local vendor or ticket machine is available, riders will pay
1170-408: A popular commuter route, necessitating additional bike storage at Alewife. On September 18, 2008, the MBTA opened two 150-bike parking cages on the ground level of the garage. A third cage was added around 2013 as the MBTA built bike cages at a number of stations. By the 2000s, the parking garage frequently filled to capacity. In April 2008, the MBTA said that it did not have funds to add two levels to
1300-695: A prelude to the Urban Ring Project , a never-implemented circumferential bus rapid transit (BRT) corridor. Silver Line BRT service began in 2002 with conversion of existing bus service on Washington Street, and was expanded in 2004–05 with new routes serving the Waterfront Tunnel in the Seaport District. The latter used dual-mode buses that operated as trolleybuses in the Waterfront Tunnel and as diesel buses on
1430-694: A single Brush Hill Transportation line in Milton was taken over in 1980. The geographic scope of the MBTA bus network has remained relatively constant since these additions, though many services have been created, discontinued, and modified during the MBTA era. The openings of new sections of the Red Line (1971, 1980, 1984–85) and the Orange Line (1975–77, 1987) have resulted in significant changes as routes were modified to serve new transfer stations. Three limited-stop crosstown routes were created in 1994 as
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#17327930051661560-402: A surcharge for paying with cash on board. Fares range from $ 2.40 to $ 13.25, with multi-ride and monthly passes available, and $ 10 unlimited weekend passes. In 2016, the system averaged 122,600 daily riders, making it the fourth-busiest commuter rail system in the nation. The MBTA boat system comprises several ferry routes via Boston Harbor . One of these is an inner harbor service, linking
1690-519: Is done online, and requires a valid email address and the serial number of the CharlieCard. All bike parking is free of charge. As of 2014 , the MBTA operates park and ride facilities at 103 locations with a total capacity of 55,000 automobiles, and is the owner of the largest number of off-street paid parking spaces in New England. The number of spaces at stations with parking varies from
1820-582: Is occupied by a commuter rail maintenance facility that will be moved to Iron Horse Park in Billerica . As of September 2024, the MBTA plans to construct an access point near for hi-rail construction vehicles near Alewife from 2026–2028. In 1978, the MBTA and the Cambridge Arts Council began a program entitled Arts on the Line to add public art to new and renovated subway stations. For
1950-573: Is planned to be completed in 2028. It will expand the fleet at that garage from 118 CNG buses to 200 battery-electric buses, including articulated buses for routes 28, 32, and 39. In July 2022, the MBTA indicated plans to purchase an adjacent parcel to expand Southampton Garage. Most local bus routes in Massachusetts outside the immediate MBTA operating area are operated by the state's other regional transit authorities (RTAs). However, some routes that connect with MBTA bus or subway service are operated by outside private contractors with partial subsidy by
2080-462: Is provided through contract of the MBTA by Boston Harbor Cruises (BHC). The MBTA contracts out operation of "The Ride", a door to door service for people with disabilities. Paratransit services carry 5,400 passengers on a typical weekday, or 0.47% of the MBTA system ridership. The two private service providers under contractual agreement with the MBTA for The Ride: Veterans Transportation LLC, and National Express Transit (NEXT). In September 2016,
2210-559: Is run in Boston's Mission Hill neighborhood. Those routes appear on MBTA system maps and connect with MBTA services at designated transfer points, but are numbered separately and do not accept MBTA passes. Several sections of dedicated right-of-way for MBTA buses have been opened in the 21st century. Two sections of the Silver Line have off-street busways: The 2004-opened 1.2-mile (1.9 km) South Boston Piers Transitway tunnel in
2340-482: Is the current bus roster for the MBTA as of September 2024 . All buses are 102 inches (260 cm) wide; most buses are 40-foot (12 m) length, while 117 are 60-foot (18 m) articulated buses . An additional 80 New Flyer 40-foot battery-electric buses were ordered in July 2023, with the first ten to be delivered in 2024 and the remainder in 2025–26. Thirty-two of those buses will have left-side doors for use in
2470-583: The Alewife Linear Park runs along the north side of the garage and past the east headhouse. Five MBTA bus routes – 62 , 62/76 , 67 , 76 , and 350 – terminate at the busway inside the Alewife garage. The routes serve northwestern suburbs including Arlington , Lexington , and Burlington . Route 83 terminates nearby at Russell Field because is not possible to turn left from Alewife Brook Parkway onto Rindge Avenue, preventing
2600-624: The Big Dig . However, these projects have strained the MBTA's limited resources, since the Big Dig project did not include funding for these improvements. Since 1988, the MBTA has been the fastest expanding transit system in the country, even as Greater Boston has been one of the slowest growing metropolitan areas in the United States. The MBTA subsequently went into debt, and rates underwent an appreciable hike on January 1, 2007. In 2006,
2730-862: The Boston Elevated Railway in 1947. In the 1950s, the MTA ran new subway extensions, while the last two streetcar lines running into the Pleasant Street Portal of the Tremont Street Subway were substituted with buses in 1953 and 1962. In 1958, the MTA purchased the Highland branch from the Boston and Albany Railroad , reopening it a year later as a rapid transit line (now the Green Line D branch ). While
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#17327930051662860-518: The Boston and Lowell Railroad (B&L) bought the Lexington Branch to prevent it from being a competitor. The B&L constructed a new line from near West Cambridge to Somerville Junction to connect the branch with its mainline. Among the stops on the new line was North Cambridge (North Avenue) at what is now Massachusetts Avenue . The Massachusetts Central Railroad (later Central Massachusetts Railroad ) opened in 1881; it paralleled
2990-577: The Boston and Maine Railroad to the north, the New York Central Railroad to the west, and the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad to the south. Most branches and one trunk line – the former Old Colony Railroad main – had their passenger services discontinued during the middle of the 20th century. In 1964, the MBTA was formed to fund the failing suburban railroad operations, with an eye towards converting many to extensions of
3120-535: The Central Mass branch (cut back from Hudson to South Sudbury ), West Medway branch (cut back from West Medway to Millis ), Blackstone Line (cut back from Blackstone to Franklin ), and B&M New Hampshire services (cut back from Portsmouth to Newburyport ), these cuts were temporary; however, service on three branch lines (all of them with only one round trip daily: one morning rush-hour trip in to Boston, and one evening rush-hour trip back out to
3250-723: The Fairmount Line , the Talbot Avenue station , opened in November 2012. On June 26, 2009, Governor Deval Patrick signed a law to place the MBTA along with other state transportation agencies within the administrative authority of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), with the MBTA now part of the Mass Transit division (MassTrans). The 2009 transportation law continued
3380-733: The Fitchburg Cutoff , with a possible further extension along the Lexington Branch. A northwards extension from Harvard to the North Cambridge/Arlington border was proposed by Cambridge mayor John D. Lynch in 1933 and by then-freshmen state representative Tip O'Neill in 1936, but was not pursued. The 1945 Coolidge Commission report – the first major transit planning initiative in the region since 1926 – recommended an extension from Harvard to Arlington Heights via East Watertown. The 1947 revision recommended an extension north to Porter Square instead, with branches along
3510-544: The Fitchburg Railroad to Waltham and the Lexington Branch to Lexington. The 1966 Program for Mass Transportation called for an immediate extension to Alewife Brook Parkway (the eastern terminus of the Concord Turnpike ) via Porter Square , with possible future extensions to Arlington or Waltham. Original plans called for a subway under Massachusetts Avenue to Porter Square, then a surface route along
3640-493: The Greater Boston area. The MBTA has a policy objective to provide transit service within walking distance (defined as 0.25 miles (0.40 km)) for all residents living in areas with population densities greater than 5,000 inhabitants per square mile (1,900/km ) within the MBTA's service district. Much of this service is provided by bus. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 91,459,700, or about 322,600 per weekday as of
3770-533: The Harvard bus tunnel . MBTA buses are operated out of eight facilities. The North Cambridge bus facility , which was used by trackless trolleys until March 2022, is to be modified for battery-electric buses. A $ 27.3 million contract was issued in October 2023, with completion expected in November 2025. The MBTA plans to replace Quincy Garage with a larger facility near Quincy Adams station . The parcel
3900-853: The Middleborough/Lakeville Line . Amtrak runs regularly scheduled intercity rail service over four lines: the Lake Shore Limited over the Framingham/Worcester Line , Acela Express and Northeast Regional services over the Providence/Stoughton Line , and the Downeaster over sections of the Lowell Line and Haverhill Line . Freight trains run by Pan Am Southern , Pan Am Railways , CSX Transportation ,
4030-858: The Orange Line because it did not show up well on maps, yellow was chosen for the color of bus operations on January 8, 1972. The MBTA had primarily been formed to subsidize the suburban commuter rail network. However, the agency also took over unprofitable suburban bus operations – much of which was former streetcar lines – from several private companies. The MBTA took over the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway in 1968, inheriting large networks based in Lynn and Quincy plus several lines in Norwood and Melrose . (Networks serving Lowell , Lawrence , and Brockton outside
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4160-613: The Providence and Worcester Railroad , and the Fore River Railroad also use parts of the network. The first commuter rail service in the United States was operated over what is now the Framingham/Worcester Line beginning in 1834. Within the next several decades, Boston was the center of a massive rail network, with eight trunk lines and dozens of branches. By 1900, ownership was consolidated under
4290-544: The Red Line was extended both north and south, providing not only additional subway system coverage, but also major parking structures at several of the terminal and intermediate stations. In 1981, seventeen people and one corporation were indicted for their roles in a number of kickback schemes at the MBTA. Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation and MBTA Chairman Barry Locke was convicted of five counts of bribery and sentenced to 7 to 10 years in prison. By 1999,
4420-517: The four-track-wide segment of the Green Line tunnel between Park Street and Boylston stations was the first subway in the United States, and has been designated a National Historic Landmark . The downtown portions of what are now the Green, Orange, Blue, and Red line tunnels were all in service by 1912. Additions to the rapid transit network occurred in most decades of the 1900s, and continue in
4550-694: The key routes was operated from March 2013 to March 2014. In 2017, the MBTA Board rejected a proposal to run all-night service on several routes with pulsed connections at a central hub. In 2018, the MBTA began planning for the Bus Network Redesign, a reworking of the entire bus network. A draft plan was released in May 2022, with a revised plan in November 2022. That plan was approved in December 2022. It increases overall service by 25%, with
4680-515: The subways in 1897 and elevated rail in 1901. The Tremont Street subway was the first rapid transit tunnel in the United States. Grade-separation added capacity and avoided delays caused by cross streets. The first elevated railway and the first rapid transit line in Boston were built three years before the first underground line of the New York City Subway , but 34 years after the first London Underground lines, and long after
4810-654: The 1910s. BERy bus service began on February 23, 1922, when buses replaced the North Beacon Street streetcar line . Initial bus routes largely replaced lightly-used streetcar lines or expanded service to new areas. The BERy also attempted in the 1920s to make the Tremont Street streetcar subway operate more like a rapid transit line, using trains of streetcars entering the subway from a small number of feeder lines, rather than single streetcars from numerous surface lines. The Harvard–Lechmere streetcar line
4940-449: The 1912-opened Cambridge–Dorchester line to North Cambridge was first proposed in the 1930s, though planning for the project did not begin until the 1960s. The Red Line Northwest Extension project included a station at Alewife Brook Parkway to capture traffic from Route 2, as a planned extension of the highway was cancelled in 1970. Construction began in 1979; with the planned route to Arlington Heights rejected by Arlington , Alewife became
5070-564: The 2000s with the addition of Silver Line bus rapid transit and planned Green Line expansion. (See History and Future plans sections.) The MBTA bus system, the nation's sixth largest by ridership , has 152 bus routes . Most routes provide local service in the urban core; smaller local networks are also centered around Waltham , Lynn , and Quincy . The system also includes longer routes serving less-dense suburbs, including several express routes. The buses are colored yellow on maps and in station decor. Most routes are directly operated by
5200-518: The 39 bus. The MBTA purchased bus routes in the outer suburbs to the north and south from the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway in 1968. As with the commuter rail system, many of the outlying routes were dropped shortly before or after the takeover due to low ridership and high operating costs. In the 1970s, the MBTA received a boost from the Boston Transportation Planning Review area-wide re-evaluation of
5330-464: The BERy and Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), all but six streetcar routes were converted to bus or trolleybus. Most trolleybuses were phased out by the 1960s, but four routes lasted until 2022. The MBTA took over the MTA in 1964, and several private suburban bus operators over the following two decades. Many routes have been modified during the MBTA era; the agency introduced crosstown routes in 1994 and
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5460-570: The Boston Transportation Planning Review, which focused on the implementation of new transit routes. This placed increased pressure on a Red Line extension at least as far as a park-and-ride station at Alewife Brook Parkway to handle Route 2 traffic. By the mid-1970s, the project was split into two phases: an all-subway extension to Arlington Heights via Alewife, with a later extension to Route 128. Three general sites were considered for Alewife station, depending on
5590-475: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts for all costs above revenue collected (net cost of service). "Forward funding" introduced at that time consists of a dedicated revenue stream from assessments on served cities and towns, along with a 20% portion of the 5% state sales tax . The Commonwealth assigned to the MBTA responsibility for increasing public transit to compensate for increased automobile pollution from
5720-632: The Fitchburg Route to Alewife. In the late 1960s, the project was expanded to follow the Lexington Branch to a terminal at Route 128 . By then, highway plans called for the Concord Turnpike (Route 2) to be expanded to eight lanes and extended east along the Fitchburg Line right-of-way to the proposed Inner Belt Expressway . In 1970, then-governor Francis Sargent suspended most highway construction inside Route 128 and created
5850-645: The Fitchburg west of Hills Crossing, then turned slightly north to meet the Lexington Branch at North Cambridge. The B&L was acquired by the Boston and Maine Railroad (B&M) in 1887, followed by the Fitchburg in 1900. In 1926–27, the B&;M built two new sections of track; these allowed the Lexington Branch and the Central Massachusetts Railroad to use the Fitchburg mainline east of West Cambridge. On April 24, 1927, passenger service
5980-716: The Green Line, or the Ashmont–Mattapan High-Speed Line segment of the Red Line. Buses equipped with bike racks at the front (including the Silver Line) may always accommodate bicycles, up to the capacity limit of the racks. The MBTA claims that 95% of its buses are now equipped with bike racks. Due to congestion and tight clearances, bicycles are banned from Park Street, Downtown Crossing, and Government Center stations at all times. However, compact folding bicycles are permitted on all MBTA vehicles at all times, provided that they are kept completely folded for
6110-461: The MBTA $ 2.7 billion from the state's five-year transportation bond bill plus more money from the proposed multi-state Transportation and Climate Initiative . A December 2019 report by the MBTA's Fiscal and Management Control Board panel found that "safety is not the priority at the T, but it must be." The report said, "There is a general feeling that fiscal controls over the years may have gone too far, which coupled with staff cutting has resulted in
6240-558: The MBTA Board of Directors safety subcommittee that of 61 recommendations made by the Fiscal and Management Control Board in 2019, two-thirds were complete and one-third were on progress or on hold (including all financial review recommendations). In April 2022, the Federal Transit Administration announced in a letter to MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak that it would assume an increased safety oversight role over
6370-743: The MBTA Fiscal and Management Control Board, effective July 17, 2015, with expanded powers to reform the agency during five years. Its term was extended by another year in 2020. Construction of the Green Line Extension , the first expansion to the rail rapid transit system since 1987, began in 2018. In April 2018, the MBTA Silver Line began operating a route from Chelsea to South Station . A June 2019 Red Line derailment resulted in train delays for several months, which brought more attention to capital maintenance problems at
6500-555: The MBTA and would conduct a safety management inspection. As of 2022, the MBTA had reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 47% from 2009 levels, and now buys or produces 100% renewable electricity. The subway system has three heavy rail rapid transit lines (the Red , Orange and Blue Lines), and two light rail lines (the Green Line and the Ashmont–Mattapan High-Speed Line , the latter designated an extension of
6630-572: The MBTA announced that paratransit users would be able to get rides from Uber and Lyft . Riders would pay $ 2 for a pickup within a few minutes (more for longer trips worth more than $ 15) instead of $ 3.15 for a scheduled pickup the next day. The MBTA would pay $ 13 instead of $ 31 per ride ($ 46 per trip when fixed costs of The Ride are considered). Conventional bicycles are generally allowed on MBTA commuter rail, commuter boat, and rapid transit lines during off-peak hours and all day on weekends and holidays. However, bicycles are not allowed at any time on
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#17327930051666760-557: The MBTA corporate structure and changed the MBTA board membership to the five Governor-appointed members of the Mass DOT Board. In February 2015, there was record breaking snowfall in Boston from the 2014–15 North American winter , which caused lengthy closures of portions of the MBTA subway system, and many long-term operational and financial problems with the entire MBTA system coming under greater public attention, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker subsequently announced
6890-842: The MBTA district were briefly operated by the MBTA. They were transferred to new public agencies: the LRTA in Lowell in 1976, a predecessor of the MVRTA in Lawrence in 1968, and a predecessor of the BAT in Brockton in 1969.) The MBTA began subsidizing Middlesex and Boston Street Railway service based in Newton and Waltham in 1964, and took over the remaining routes in 1972. Five former Service Bus Lines routes in northeast suburbs were taken over in 1975, and
7020-440: The MBTA indicated plans to study future scenarios for the station – including the feasibility of removing the garage – in a five-year spending plan. The MBTA issued a request for proposals in August 2024 for a private developer to demolish the garage and construct new buildings in its place. This may also include redevelopment of about 20 acres (8.1 ha) on the north side of the Fitchburg Line west of Alewife Brook Parkway, which
7150-401: The MBTA website. The MBTA says that over 95% of its stations are equipped with bike racks, many of them under cover from the weather. In addition, over a dozen stations are equipped with "Pedal & Park" fully enclosed areas protected with video surveillance and controlled door access, for improved security. To obtain access, a personally registered CharlieCard must be used. Registration
7280-404: The MBTA, though several suburban routes are run by private operators under contract to the MBTA. The Silver Line is also operated as part of the MBTA bus system. It is designated as bus rapid transit (BRT), even though it lacks some of the characteristics of bus rapid transit. Two routes run on Washington Street between Nubian station and downtown Boston. Three "waterfront" routes run in
7410-466: The MBTA, with an expanded funding district to fund declining suburban commuter rail service. In its first two decades, the MBTA took over the commuter rail system from the private operators and continued expansion of the rapid transit system. Originally established as an individual department within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the MBTA became a division of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) in 2009. Mass transportation in Boston
7540-407: The MBTA, with the Lexington Branch closing in January 1977. By 1922, the Boston Elevated Railway believed that Harvard would be the permanent terminus of the Cambridge–Dorchester line ; the heavy ridership from the north was expected to be handled by extending rapid transit from Lechmere Square . A 1926 report proposed an extension from Lechmere to North Cambridge via the Southern Division and
7670-417: The MBTA. Four routes – the 712 , 713 , 714 , and 716 – are numbered like other MBTA buses. The four routes are primarily commuter routes which connect with other MBTA services at their inbound terminals. They were taken over from various private operators (Rapid Transit Inc. for the 712/713, Nantasket Transportation for the 714, and Hudson Bus Lines for the 716). The 712 and 713 use MBTA-provided buses;
7800-435: The MBTA. Four suburban routes are run by private operators under contract to the MBTA, while several small circulator systems are run by other operators with partial MBTA subsidy. MBTA-operated buses operate from nine garages, one of which is under reconstruction and a second planned for replacement. Several sections of dedicated right-of-way for MBTA buses have been opened in the 21st century, including two off-street busways for
7930-416: The MTC recommended an expansion of the MTA to commuter rail territory. On August 3, 1964, the MBTA succeeded the MTA, with an enlarged service area intended to fund continued commuter rail operations. The original 14-municipality MTA district was expanded to 78 cities and towns. Several lines were briefly cut back while contracts with out-of-district towns were reached, but, except for the outer portions of
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#17327930051668060-439: The Massachusetts Bay area. By the time the Red Line Northwest Extension began construction in 1978, opposition in Arlington and reductions in federal funding had caused the MBTA to choose a shorter alternative with Alewife as the terminus. The Fitchburg Cutoff was abandoned in 1979 to allow construction of the extension. The station was constructed by the Perini Corporation . On January 12, 1981, construction worker Ulysses Lemon
8190-459: The Orange and Green Lines (which run approximately parallel in that district) also connect directly at two stations just north of downtown. The Red Line and Blue Line are the only pair of subway lines which do not have a direct transfer connection to each other. Because the various subway lines do not consistently run in any given compass direction , it is customary to refer to line directions as "inbound" or "outbound". Inbound trains travel towards
8320-552: The Red Line Northwest Extension, 0.5% of the cost of the project was reserved for artworks. They were largely constructed of durable materials like stone and metal, designed to withstand vandalism as well as normal wear and tear for 75 years. Six of the original twenty artworks are located at Alewife station: Two additional works at the station were not part of the Arts on the Line program: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (abbreviated MBTA and known colloquially as "
8450-423: The Red Line). The system operates according to a spoke-hub distribution paradigm , with the lines running radially between central Boston and its environs. It is common usage in Boston to refer to all four of the color-coded rail lines which run underground as "the subway" or "the T", regardless of the actual railcar equipment used. All four subway lines cross downtown, forming a quadrilateral configuration, and
8580-427: The Seaport (used by the SL1 , SL2 , SL3 , and SLW ), and a 2018-opened 1.1-mile (1.8 km) surface busway in Chelsea used by the SL3. A direct ramp to the Ted Williams Tunnel is proposed for use by the SL1 and SL3. A number of dedicated bus lanes on surface streets are also in use: An additional 1.0 mile (1.6 km) of center lanes on Columbus Avenue and Tremont Street between Jackson Square and Ruggles
8710-410: The Silver Line and a number of dedicated bus lanes. The modern bus system descends from a network of horsecar and electric streetcar lines built in the 1850s to 1910s, which were consolidated under the West End Street Railway and later Boston Elevated Railway (BERy). The BERy introduced buses in 1922 to replace lightly-used streetcar lines and expand into new areas. Over the next four decades under
8840-412: The Silver Line in 2002. A number of horsecar lines were built in Boston and surrounding towns in the second half of the 19th century, beginning with the Cambridge Railroad in 1856. Several smaller companies were consolidated into the West End Street Railway in 1887. The West End began electrifying existing lines and constructing new streetcar lines; the last horsecar lines ended in 1900. The West End
8970-418: The T ") is the public agency responsible for operating most public transportation services in Greater Boston , Massachusetts. The MBTA transit network includes the MBTA subway with three metro lines (the Blue , Orange , and Red lines), two light rail lines (the Green and Ashmont–Mattapan lines), and a five-line bus rapid transit system (the Silver Line ); MBTA bus local and express service;
9100-417: The T. After complaints from many riders and business groups, the governor proposed adding $ 50 million for an independent team to speed up inspections and capital projects, and general efforts to speed up existing capital spending from $ 1 billion to $ 1.5 billion per year. Replacement of the Red Line signal system was accelerated, including equipment that was damaged in the derailment. Baker proposed allocating to
9230-432: The Waterfront Tunnel using dual-mode buses until these were replaced with hybrid battery buses in 2023. The MBTA Commuter Rail system is a commuter rail network that reaches from Boston into the suburbs of eastern Massachusetts. The system consists of twelve main lines, three of which have two branches. The rail network operates according to a spoke-hub distribution paradigm , with the lines running radially outward from
9360-410: The alignment of the whole project. Alternatives running via Garden Street or via Porter Square and the Fitchburg mainline were to have a station along the Lexington Branch just north of the Fitchburg mainline. Alternatives using the freight cutoff (via Davis Square or Cotter Square) were to have a station east of Alewife Brook Parkway on the pre-1927 Lexington Branch alignment, or to the south straddling
9490-403: The atrium to the garage levels. A freestanding headhouse connects to the east end of the platform. Elevators connect both ends of the platform to the fare lobbies, making the station fully accessible. The walls and floors of the station are finished with brown Welsh quarry tiles with granite highlights. The Minuteman Bikeway and Fitchburg Cutoff Path meet at the northwest corner of the garage;
9620-400: The branches of the Green Line from north to south. Shortages of streetcars, among other factors, caused bustitution of rail service on two branches of the Green Line. The A branch ceased operating entirely in 1969 and was replaced by the 57 bus, while the E branch was truncated from Arborway to Heath Street in 1985, with the section between Heath Street and Arborway being replaced by
9750-542: The bus from serving Alewife directly. The bus stop is connected to Alewife by a short spur of the Cambridge Linear Park. Alewife station is also served by bus routes operated by private carriers: The Charlestown Branch Railroad opened from Charlestown to Somerville in October 1839. It was extended to Fresh Pond in West Cambridge in 1842 for ice harvesting . Under the control of Alvah Crocker ,
9880-524: The city of Boston, with a total of 394 miles (634 km) of revenue trackage. Eight of the lines converge at South Station , with four of these passing through Back Bay station. The other four converge at North Station . There is no passenger connection between the two sides; the Grand Junction Railroad is used for non-revenue equipment moves accessing the maintenance facility . The North–South Rail Link has been proposed to connect
10010-474: The commuter rail system was 109,300, making it the fifth-busiest commuter rail system in the U.S. The MBTA is the successor of several previous public and private operators. Privately operated transit in Boston began with commuter rail in 1834 and horsecar lines in 1856. The various horsecar companies were consolidated under the West End Street Railway in the 1880s and electrified over
10140-489: The construction of Alewife station, the surrounding area was known as the "industrial triangle"; the only nearby development was the 1971-built Rindge Towers . Major development had been proposed in the triangle by Arthur D. Little in the 1960s, and by a 1970 city planning study. The construction of Alewife station resulted in what would later be termed transit-oriented development , with commercial developments replacing struggling industrial sites. The first developments around
10270-707: The creation of the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority saw several towns subtract their MWRTA assessment from their MBTA assessment, though the amount of funding the MBTA received remained the same. The next year, the MBTA started commuter rail service to the Greenbush section of Scituate , the third branch of the Old Colony service . Rhode Island also paid for extensions of the Providence/Stoughton Line to T.F. Green Airport in 2010 and Wickford Junction in 2012. A new station on
10400-464: The district was expanded further to 175 cities and towns, adding most that were served by or adjacent to commuter rail lines, though the MBTA did not assume responsibility for local service in those communities adjacent to or served by commuter rail. In 2016, the Town of Bourne voted to join the MBTA district, bringing the number of MBTA communities to 176. Prior to July 1, 2000, the MBTA was reimbursed by
10530-557: The downtown waterfront with the Boston Navy Yard in Charlestown . The other routes are commuter routes, linking downtown to Hingham , Hull , and Salem . Some commuter services operate via Logan International Airport . All boat services are operated by private sector companies under contract to the MBTA. In FY2005, the MBTA boat system carried 4,650 passengers (0.41% of total MBTA passengers) per weekday. The service
10660-471: The duration of the trip, including passage through faregates. Gasoline -powered vehicles, bike trailers , and Segways are prohibited. No special permit is required to take a bicycle onto an MBTA vehicle, but bicyclists are expected to follow the rules and hours of operation. Cyclists under 16 years old are supposed to be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Detailed rules, and an explanation of how to use front-of-bus bike racks and bike parking are on
10790-601: The elevated section was cut back slightly and connected to a northwards viaduct extension as part of the Green Line Extension . The old elevated railways proved to be an eyesore and required several sharp curves in Boston's twisty streets. The Atlantic Avenue Elevated was closed in 1938 amidst declining ridership and was demolished in 1942. As rail passenger service became increasingly unprofitable, largely due to rising automobile ownership, government takeover prevented abandonment and dismantlement. The MTA purchased and took over subway, elevated, streetcar, and bus operations from
10920-580: The entire Old Colony Railroad system serving the southeastern part of the state was abandoned by the New Haven Railroad in 1959, triggering calls for state intervention. Between January 1963 and March 1964, the Mass Transportation Commission tested different fare and service levels on the B&M and New Haven systems. Determining that commuter rail operations were important but could not be financially self-sustaining,
11050-476: The existing rapid transit system. The first unified branding of the system was applied on October 8, 1974, with "MBTA Commuter Rail" naming and purple coloration analogous to the four subway lines. The system continued to shrink – mostly with the loss of marginal lines with one daily round trip – until 1981. The system has been expanded since, with four lines restored ( Fairmount Line in 1979, Old Colony Lines in 1997, and Greenbush Line in 2007), six extended, and
11180-679: The extremities of the Orange Line: its northern end was relocated in 1975 from Everett to Malden, Massachusetts , and its southern end was relocated into the Southwest Corridor in 1987. However, the Green Line's Causeway Street Elevated remained in service until 2004, when it was relocated into a tunnel with an incline to reconnect to the Lechmere Viaduct . The Lechmere Viaduct and a short section of steel-framed elevated at its northern end remain in service, though
11310-528: The first elevated railway in New York City; its Ninth Avenue El started operations on July 1, 1868, in Manhattan as an elevated cable car line. Various extensions and branches were added at both ends, bypassing more surface tracks. As grade-separated lines were extended, street-running lines were cut back for faster downtown service. The last elevated heavy rail or "El" segments in Boston were at
11440-632: The formation of a special advisory panel to diagnose the MBTA's problems and write a report recommending proposals to address them. The special advisory panel formed the previous February released its report in April 2015. On March 19, 2015, using a grassroots tool, GovOnTheT, Steve Kropper, and Michele Rapp enlisted 65 Massachusetts General Court legislators to ride the T to the State House, pairing them with 85 TV, radio, electronic, and print reporters. The event responded to widespread anger directed at
11570-602: The former "Orange Street" also was the street that joined the city to the mainland through Boston Neck in colonial times; the Green Line because it runs adjacent to parts of the Emerald Necklace park system; the Blue Line because it runs under Boston Harbor ; and the Red Line because its northernmost station was, at that time, at Harvard University , whose school color is crimson . Opened in September 1897,
11700-675: The former Lexington Branch right-of-way. Alewife became a major junction point between trails: wider sidewalks along Alewife Brook Parkway to the south were added in the 1990s (later connecting to the Fresh Pond Parkway path and the Watertown Greenway ), the Alewife Greenway to the north opened in 2012, and the Fitchburg Cutoff Path to the west opened in 2013. The Minuteman quickly became
11830-449: The four downtown transfer stations , and outbound trains travel away from these hub stations. The Green Line has four branches in the west: B ( Boston College ), C ( Cleveland Circle ), D ( Riverside ), and E ( Heath Street ). The A branch formerly went to Watertown , filling in the north-to-south letter assignment pattern, and the E branch formerly continued beyond Heath Street to Arborway . The Red Line has two branches in
11960-590: The garage would be built (following a short section of the former Lexington Branch), with a second ramp from the garage under Alewife Brook Parkway (reusing the Fitchburg Cutoff underpass) to the intersection. Environmental review was completed in August 1984. The $ 3.5 million project was approved by the MBTA board in June 1985; construction began that September and was completed about a year later. Prior to
12090-407: The garage, with ramps to the bus platform. The garage is bisected by an elongated atrium, which has red exhaust pipes on one side to ventilate the bus platform. East of the garage, the concourse widens into an atrium covered with a glass pyramid, with faregates and access to the platform on the north side. A third bike cage is located on the south side of the glass pyramid, under escalators connecting
12220-444: The governor, state legislators, and MBTA management. The pairings helped to raise awareness of the problems with the T and contributed to its restructuring and refinancing. The next month, Baker appointed a new MassDOT Board of Directors and proposed a five-year winter resiliency plan with $ 83 million being spent to update infrastructure, purchase new equipment, and improve operations during severe weather. A new state law established
12350-451: The inability to accomplish required maintenance and inspections, or has hampered work keeping legacy system assets fully functional." In June 2021, the Fiscal and Management Control Board was dissolved, and the following month, Baker signed into law a supplemental budget bill that included a provision creating a permanent MBTA Board of Directors, and Baker appointed the new board the following October. In February 2022, MBTA staff reported to
12480-649: The late 1940s to early 1960s, as buses offered increased flexibility and no need to maintain overhead lines. When the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) replaced the MTA in 1964, all surface lines were operated by buses except six streetcar lines (the five Green Line branches plus the Mattapan Line ) and four trolleybus lines. The MBTA rebranded many elements of Boston's public transportation network in its first decade. After being found unsuitable in 1965 for
12610-554: The line was extended from West Cambridge to Fitchburg as the Fitchburg Railroad in 1843–1845. Stops on the line included West Cambridge (Brick Yards) at Sherman Street, and Hills Crossing at Brighton Street just over the Belmont border to the west. The Lexington and West Cambridge Railroad (Lexington Branch) opened north from West Cambridge in 1846; the Watertown Branch opened south from West Cambridge in 1849. In 1870,
12740-403: The main garage entrances were temporarily closed on October 19, 2019. Phased replacement of the garage elevators and the west platform elevator began in mid-2018 and was completed in September 2020. On February 4, 2023, a driver crashed their car into an edge barrier of the upper level of the parking garage, causing a 10,000-pound (4,500 kg) piece of concrete to fall onto the glass ceiling of
12870-447: The nearby cities of Lynn , Waltham , and Quincy . Several express routes operate from suburbs to downtown Boston. The MBTA has an active bus fleet around 1,040 buses with diesel-electric hybrid or compressed natural gas propulsion. Replacement of the full fleet with battery electric buses is planned. The entire bus system is accessible ; all vehicles are low-floor buses with fold-out ramps. Most routes are operated directly by
13000-482: The next decade. The Boston Elevated Railway (BERy) succeeded the West End in 1897; over the next several decades, the BERy built a partially-publicly owned rapid transit system, beginning with the Tremont Street subway in 1897. The BERy came under the control of public trustees in 1919, and was subsumed into the fully-publicly owned Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) in 1947. The MTA was in turn succeeded in 1964 by
13130-479: The opening of the Cambridge Railroad on March 26, 1856, a profusion of streetcar lines appeared in Boston under chartered companies. Despite the change of companies, Boston is the city with the oldest continuously working streetcar system in the world. Many of these companies consolidated, and animal-drawn vehicles were converted to electric propulsion. Streetcar congestion in downtown Boston led to
13260-551: The operations of the MTA were relatively stable by the early 1960s, the privately operated commuter rail lines were in freefall. The New Haven Railroad , New York Central Railroad , and Boston and Maine Railroad were all financially struggling; deferred maintenance was hurting the mainlines while most branch lines had been discontinued. The 1945 Coolidge Commission plan assumed that most of the commuter rail lines would be replaced by shorter rapid transit extensions, or simply feed into them at reduced service levels. Passenger service on
13390-570: The other routes do not. Four suburban municipalities contract with outside operators for local circulator routes, most with partial MBTA subsidy. Bedford and Beverly run single routes, Burlington runs five routes, and Lexington runs six. Most are run by private operators, except for the Beverly Shuttle, which is part of the Cape Ann Transportation Authority system. Additionally, a nonprofit shuttle
13520-439: The parking garage, which would cost $ 30–35 million and add about 1,300 spaces. The structure was originally designed to support two more levels, but whether the condition of the supports and building codes would still allow this expansion was not clear. In August 2018, the MBTA awarded a $ 5.7 million contract for garage repairs, which were needed even in the absence of funding for expansion. Work began in September 2018, and
13650-473: The parkway. The chosen alignment was an all-tunnel route via Porter Square and Davis Square, with the southern station option. Intended primarily as a park-and-ride facility for suburban commuters, Alewife station was built on a former brickyard adjacent to the terminus of the expressway portion of Route 2. Although largely away from residential and commercial areas, the station was intended to be walkable from East Arlington and North Cambridge. The industrial site
13780-553: The role of mass transit relative to highways. Producing a moratorium on highway construction inside Route 128 , numerous mass transit lines were planned for expansion by the Voorhees-Skidmore, Owings and Merrill-ESL consulting team. The removal of elevated lines continued, and the closure of the Washington Street Elevated in 1987 brought the end of rapid transit service to the Roxbury neighborhood. Between 1971 and 1985,
13910-421: The south, Ashmont and Braintree , named after their terminal stations . The colors were assigned on August 26, 1965, in conjunction with design standards developed by Cambridge Seven Associates , and have served as the primary identifier for the lines since the 1964 reorganization of the MTA into the MBTA. The Orange Line is so named because it used to run along Orange Street (now lower Washington Street), as
14040-493: The starting hourly wage, and offer new hires full-time work instead of forcing all of them to start part-time. Drivers were also unhappy about lack of access to bathrooms and "split shifts" with unpaid time between morning and evening rush hour that was too short to go home. The MBTA began hiring operators for full-time work in 2023. The number of bus drivers increased from about 1,350 in mid-2023 to about 1,500 in March 2024. This
14170-499: The station for use as layup tracks and overnight storage. A five-story, 2,733-space parking garage is located just west of the station platform, with vehicle entrance and exit at its northwest side. The first floor of the garage includes a 450-foot (140 m)-long enclosed bus platform with bus bays on both sides, as well as two bike cages . Pedestrian entrances to the garage are on the south (Cambridgepark Drive) and west (Steel Place) sides. A below-ground concourse runs east–west under
14300-426: The station on Route 2 to use a congested rotary north of the station. The design and construction of roadway improvements trailed that of the Red Line project, complicated by political controversy between Arlington, Belmont, and Cambridge over traffic concerns. The state announced a short-term plan in May 1984, under which the rotary would be replaced with a signalized intersection. A direct ramp from eastbound Route 2 to
14430-520: The station ultimately cost $ 84 million. In 1989, the station was awarded a Federal Design Achievement Award by the National Endowment for the Arts , which stated that the "design surrounds all the activity with excitement and beauty... The entire structure is full of art..." When the station opened, all road access to the garage was from Alewife Brook Parkway, which forced those driving to
14560-399: The station were primarily office buildings and high-tech research and development facilities that flourished in Massachusetts in the 1980s . Developers were attracted to the Alewife area by the large plots of available land, the subway connection to Cambridge and Boston, and the proximity to Route 2. An additional development surrounding the east headhouse was considered in the mid-1980s, but
14690-677: The suburbs) was dropped permanently between 1965 and 1976 (the Millis (the new name of the truncated West Medway branch) and Dedham Branches were discontinued in 1967, while the Central Mass branch was abandoned in 1971). The MBTA bought the Penn Central (New York Central and New Haven) commuter rail lines in January 1973, Penn Central equipment in April 1976, and all B&M commuter assets in December 1976; these purchases served to make
14820-590: The surface. A second Silver Line service using the Washington Street corridor was added in 2009, and service from the Waterfront Tunnel to Chelsea began in 2018 with a new surface busway in Chelsea. The BERy and MTA operated overnight Owl service until 1960. From September 2001 to June 2005, the MBTA operated bus service on 17 routes (7 normal bus routes and 10 routes replicating subway lines) until 2:30am on Friday and Saturday nights. Similar service on
14950-565: The surrounding area. The MBTA plans to replace the aging parking garage with new development in the late 2020s. The station features six works of public art built under the Arts on the Line program. Alewife station has one underground island platform serving two tracks. Both tracks are used for boarding and alighting; a scissors crossover east of the station allows arriving and departing trains to switch tracks. A three-track underground yard extends about one-third mile (0.5 km) northwest past
15080-524: The system state-owned with the private railroads retained solely as operators. Only two branch lines were abandoned after 1976: service on the Lexington branch (also with only one round trip daily) was discontinued in January 1977 after a snowstorm blocked the line, while the Lowell Line 's full-service Woburn branch was eliminated in January 1981 due to poor track conditions. The MBTA assigned colors to its four rapid transit lines in 1965, and lettered
15210-414: The terminus of the extension. Alewife station opened on March 30, 1985, though some peak-hour service did not run to the station until that December. The station has a single underground island platform , with a busway and glass-roofed fare lobby inside the parking garage. Ramps connecting the garage to Route 2 opened in 1986. The station spurred transit-oriented development on formerly industrial land in
15340-501: The third quarter of 2024. Most MBTA bus routes are local service operated in Boston and its inner suburbs and connect to MBTA subway stations. Fifteen high-ridership local routes are designated as key routes , with higher frequency at all operating hours. The MBTA operates a five-route bus rapid transit service branded as the Silver Line , as well as two limited-stop crosstown routes . Three smaller local networks are based in
15470-448: The twelve-line MBTA Commuter Rail system, and several ferry routes . In 2023, the system had a ridership of 239,981,700, or about 812,400 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024, of which the rapid transit lines averaged 267,700 and the light rail lines 102,500, making it the fourth-busiest rapid transit system and the third-busiest light rail system in the United States. As of the third quarter of 2024, average weekday ridership of
15600-545: The two halves of the system; it would be constructed under the Central Artery tunnel of the Big Dig . Special MBTA trains are run over the Franklin/Foxboro Line and the Providence/Stoughton Line to Foxborough station for New England Patriots home games and other events at Gillette Stadium . The CapeFLYER intercity service, operated on summer weekends, uses MBTA equipment and operates over
15730-425: The west fare lobby. One passenger suffered minor injuries. The station was temporarily closed for inspection and repairs; shuttle buses operated between Alewife and Davis. The garage reopened on February 8, except for the top level where the crash occurred; the station reopened using only the east headhouse on February 10. The main lobby reopened on March 27, 2023, along with the top floor of the garage. In April 2024,
15860-549: Was chartered in 1830. The rail, which opened in 1835, connected Boston to Lowell , a major northerly mill town in northeast Massachusetts' Merrimack Valley , via one of the oldest railroads in North America . This marked the beginning of the development of American intercity railroads, which in Massachusetts would later become the MBTA Commuter Rail system and the Green Line D branch . Starting with
15990-493: Was chosen to minimize disruptive land takings. The station was designed by Ellenzweig Associates. After Davis and Porter , Alewife was among the first MBTA stations made accessible during initial construction, rather than by renovation. Alewife station was named for the adjacent Alewife Brook (a tributary of the Mystic River ) and Alewife Brook Parkway – themselves named for the alewife , a type of fish long associated with
16120-403: Was converted to trackless trolley ( trolleybus ) on April 11, 1936 – the first route in what would become an extensive trackless trolley system . As increased automobile usage reduced ridership and increased congestion, the BERy and its 1947 replacement Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) continued to convert streetcar lines to bus and trolleybus. Most trolleybus lines were replaced by buses in
16250-498: Was killed in a tank truck explosion on Harvey Street in North Cambridge. After six years of construction, Alewife was the final station on the extension to open. Revenue service began on March 30, 1985. Because the yard facilities were not complete, only Ashmont trains terminated at Alewife at peak hours ; peak-hour Braintree trains ran only to Davis until December 26. Initially expected to cost $ 78 million to construct,
16380-427: Was provided by private companies, often granted charters by the state legislature for limited monopolies , with powers of eminent domain to establish a right-of-way , until the creation of the MTA in 1947. Development of mass transportation both followed and shaped economic and population patterns. Shortly after the steam locomotive became practical for mass transportation, the private Boston and Lowell Railroad
16510-469: Was purchased for $ 38.2 million in March 2021. Early work, including demolition of an existing building at the site, was completed in mid-2022. Bids in May 2022 came in higher than expected – $ 360 million versus $ 280 million – prompting the MBTA to switch to Construction Management at Risk bidding for the project. As of October 2023 , the work is expected to cost $ 299 million, with substantial completion in March 2027. A replacement of Arborway Garage on-site
16640-528: Was purchased in 1897 by the Boston Elevated Railway (BERy), which had been created to build a rapid transit system in Boston. As that system was constructed in the first two decades of the 20th century, many streetcar lines were cut back from downtown Boston to rapid transit stations. Stations like Sullivan Square , Dudley Square , Forest Hills , Harvard , and Andrew were built as transfer stations with easy connections between subway and rapid transit. Some small companies operated buses in Boston as early as
16770-414: Was rejected by the community because it would have added 2,000 parking spaces. Residential developments were built in the Alewife triangle beginning in 2003. The Alewife Linear Park between Alewife and Davis opened in 1985. The Minuteman Bikeway opened in 1992–93 and was extended a short distance to Alewife in 1998, connecting the northwestern suburbs of Arlington, Lexington, and Bedford to Alewife along
16900-562: Was rerouted over the rebuilt line; the Fitchburg Cutoff (Hills Crossing to Somerville Junction) became freight-only, with North Cambridge and the two other passenger stations on the line closed. Passenger service ended on the Watertown Branch in 1938. Hills Crossing station closed by the mid-1940s, and West Cambridge by the 1960s. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) was formed in 1964 to support suburban rail service. A number of lightly used branch lines were closed by
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