124-594: JFK/UMass station is a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) intermodal transfer station, located adjacent to the Columbia Point area of Dorchester, Boston , Massachusetts . It is served by the rapid transit Red Line ; the Greenbush Line , Kingston/Plymouth Line , and Middleborough/Lakeville Line of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, and three MBTA bus routes. The station
248-414: A $ 13.5 million construction contract on February 4, 1987, and work began that June. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on July 16. A large waiting room and fare control lobby was built over the center of the platforms, with footbridges to Sydney Street on the west and a new busway on the east. The 1970s Columbia Road entrance became exit-only; an adjacent footbridge to the lobby was added. The south footbridge
372-794: 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
496-493: 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
620-537: 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
744-423: 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
868-528: 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
992-490: 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
1116-630: A planning study to redesign the station. Buses replaced service on the Ashmont Branch from October 14–29, 2023, to allow for track work. Repairs and repainting of the Red Line platforms at JFK/UMass station was also performed during the closure. In November 2024, the MBTA applied for a $ 99 million federal grant to fund half of a renovation of the station. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (abbreviated MBTA and known colloquially as "
1240-695: 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
1364-427: A second station entrance from Sydney Street at Crescent Avenue. A footbridge was built over the southbound track at the south end of the station, with fare control located on a short extension of the platform. The new entrance opened on March 18, 1929; by May, it was used by 42% of passengers at the station. In late 1938, the footbridge was extended east over the other tracks to serve a parking area. On January 13, 1961,
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#17327726189581488-638: 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
1612-402: 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
1736-519: 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
1860-599: Is named for the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum and the University of Massachusetts Boston , both located nearby on Columbia Point. JFK/UMass station has four tracks and two island platforms for the Ashmont and Braintree branches of the Red Line, with one track and one side platform for Commuter Rail. A waiting room and fare lobby over the Red Line platforms is connected to Columbia Road, Sydney Street, and
1984-573: 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
2108-462: 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,
2232-559: 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
2356-482: 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
2480-556: The Bayside Expo Center —increased the importance of the station. On December 2, 1982, the station was renamed as JFK/UMass after the campus and library. Columbia was re-added as a secondary name in 1985 as part of a series of station name changes. Repairs to the Columbia Road bridge closed the north entrance from early 1982 until January 10, 1983. In January 1980, the MBTA indicated that a $ 1 million renovation of
2604-624: 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,
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#17327726189582728-862: 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
2852-577: 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
2976-535: 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
3100-723: 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
3224-493: 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
3348-533: 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
3472-853: 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 ,
3596-858: 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
3720-613: 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
3844-544: 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,
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3968-517: 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
4092-694: 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
4216-515: 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
4340-654: 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
4464-564: 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
4588-518: 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
4712-464: 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
4836-583: The Cambridge–Dorchester line was renamed as the Red Line as part of a rebranding by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), which had taken over the system in 1964. In 1967, the MBTA began a station modernization program; modifications to Columbia took place in 1970. A southward extension made the platform long enough for six-car trains (which were not run until 1987). The original brick headhouse
4960-475: 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
5084-626: The Dorchester Extension of the Cambridge–Dorchester Tunnel in 1925. Crescent Avenue station closed in July 1927; Columbia station opened on November 5, with an additional footbridge added in 1929. Columbia station was modernized in 1970, though without a platform for South Shore (Braintree Branch) service, which started in 1971. UMass Boston moved to Columbia Point in 1974, while the Kennedy Library opened in 1979;
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5208-716: 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
5332-461: 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
5456-558: 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
5580-743: 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
5704-555: 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
5828-572: 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
5952-557: 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
6076-842: 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
6200-401: 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
6324-404: 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
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#17327726189586448-466: 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
6572-417: 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;
6696-435: 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
6820-540: The MTA began operating " modified express service " on the line during the morning rush hour, following the introduction of similar service on the Forest Hills–Everett line the month before. Every other train bypassed Columbia and three other stations. This was discontinued in September 1961 to reduce wait times at the skipped stations, most of which were outdoors. The New Haven Railroad ended commuter service on
6944-465: 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
7068-519: The Middleborough/Lakeville and Plymouth/Kingston lines was restored in September 1997. The MBTA initially did not plan to include a stop at JFK/UMass; not until November 1996 did the agency agree to build the platform. Construction began in 2000, and trains began stopping on April 30, 2001. This was the first time that mainline commuter trains stopped at the station since 1927. Several rush-hour Greenbush Line trains began to stop concurrent with that line's restoration in 2007. Not all weekday commuter trains on
7192-418: The Old Colony lines in 1959, but subway service to Ashmont via Columbia continued. On July 28, 1965, the MBTA signed an agreement with the New Haven Railroad to purchase 11 miles (18 km) of the former Old Colony mainline from Fort Point Channel to South Braintree in order to construct a new rapid transit line along the corridor. The line was expected to be completed within two years. On August 26, 1965,
7316-459: 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
7440-423: 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
7564-427: 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
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#17327726189587688-410: 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
7812-412: 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
7936-418: 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;
8060-417: 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
8184-432: 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
8308-400: 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
8432-483: The busway on the east side of the station by footbridge. The station is fully accessible . North of the station, the complex Columbia Junction connects the two Red Line branches with the downtown tunnel and Cabot Yard lead tracks. The Old Colony Railroad first opened through the area in 1845, with Crescent Avenue serving as a flag stop by 1848. A station building opened in 1868 and was rebuilt in 1883. The Boston Elevated Railway began construction of Columbia station on
8556-469: The busway were closed from May to September 2022, and the southern stairs to Sydney Street were indefinitely closed in mid-2022. In November 2022, the MBTA closed the Columbia Road entrance, with repairs initially expected to take at least a month. Part of the Red Line was closed for a weekend in January 2023 to accommodate repairs. The Columbia Road entrance reopened that month. The MBTA included $ 2.3 million in its draft fiscal year 2024–2028 capital plan for
8680-449: 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
8804-450: The city's bid for the 2024 Olympics , which was withdrawn in 2015. On June 11, 2019, a Red Line train derailed just north of JFK/UMass station due to a broken axle, damaging three sheds of signal equipment that control the nearby Columbia Junction. The Red Line was limited to 10 trains per hour (instead of the usual 13–14) for three months while repairs were made. Full service resumed on September 25, 2019. Structural deterioration affected
8928-474: 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
9052-707: 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
9176-464: 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
9300-549: The downtown stations. Under 2008 plans, the Urban Ring would access the station via Columbia Road, with a one-bay dedicated BRT platform in the existing busway. The project was cancelled in January 2010. In 2012 and 2013, the MBTA installed over 50 security cameras in the station—in addition to over ten already present—in response to an increase of crime in nearby areas. Improvements to the station were proposed in 2014 as part of
9424-557: 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
9548-471: 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
9672-747: The early 1920s, the Boston Elevated Railway (BERy) began planning an extension of the Cambridge–Dorchester Tunnel over the Shawmut Branch to Ashmont . The New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad , which had succeeded the Old Colony, sold the Shawmut Branch to the BERy, with service ending on September 6, 1926. The mainline stations at Crescent Avenue and Savin Hill were kept open during construction. Crescent Avenue station
9796-621: The east. The Red Line has four tracks and two island platforms at the station; the west platform is served by the Ashmont branch, and the east platform by the Braintree branch. (This unusual configuration is the result of the decision to not originally have the Braintree Branch stop at the station.) East of the Red Line is a single track used by the three commuter rail lines, with a high-level side platform on its east side. A two-lane busway, drop-off lane, and plaza are located east of
9920-601: 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
10044-632: 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,
10168-476: 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
10292-679: 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
10416-528: 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
10540-632: 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
10664-545: 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,
10788-449: 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
10912-444: 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
11036-451: 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
11160-549: 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
11284-412: The lines stop, however, because the station is in a single-tracked bottleneck section of the otherwise double-tracked route. All weekend trains, which operate on more limited schedules, stop at the station. JFK/UMass station was a proposed stop on the MBTA's planned Urban Ring Project . The Urban Ring was to be a bus rapid transit (BRT) line designed to connect the current MBTA lines to reduce strain on
11408-415: The lobby indicates which platform the next northbound train will arrive at. North of the station is a complex Red Line interlocking called Columbia Junction. The two track line from downtown Boston exits the tunnel under Dorchester Avenue about 0.4 miles (0.6 km) north of JFK/UMass station and splits into the four tracks with a flying junction . The junction also connects two yard leads from Cabot Yard,
11532-478: The main Red Line maintenance facility, which is located on the surface near Broadway . South of the station, the Braintree Branch tracks cross over the commuter rail tracks via a lengthy flyover. The flyover is dedicated to Milton DeVaughn, an MBTA track worker, who died in December 1993 when he fell under the wheels of an MBTA work train. Columbia was not built as a transfer station; streetcar—and later, bus—routes mostly served Andrew and Fields Corner. Bus service to
11656-447: 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
11780-482: 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
11904-479: 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
12028-551: 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
12152-570: 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
12276-553: 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,
12400-421: 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
12524-562: The southeast of the station in 1954; residents of the housing development secured the 1962 closure of the city dump, which opened the peninsula to development. Ridership at Columbia station grew quickly despite the MBTA's refusal to have the South Shore Branch stop. Three major developments opening on Columbia Point in the 1970s—the UMass Boston campus in 1974, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in 1979, and
12648-493: 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
12772-411: The station began in 1925 with the reconstruction of the Columbia Road bridge. The station platform was built in mid-1926. Construction was completed in May 1927; the station was finished during the next several months under the possibility it would open before Savin Hill and Fields Corner . The three stations ultimately opened together on November 5, 1927. In November 1928, the BERy began construction of
12896-534: The station began in 1954 when the Columbia Point Development was constructed, and increased in 1974 when the UMass campus opened. The 1988 renovations added a dedicated two-lane busway on the east side of the station. The station is served by MBTA bus routes 8 , 16 , and 41 . During service disruptions – both planned track work and unplanned incidents – JFK/UMass is often used as
13020-468: The station entrances in the early 2020s. On January 29, 2020, the stairs between Columbia Road and the east side of the station were taken out of service for repairs. Boston University professor David K. Jones was killed when he fell through a missing section of the still-closed stairs (owned by the Department of Conservation and Recreation ) on September 11, 2021. The stairs from the east footbridge to
13144-429: The station was from the Columbia Road overpass; like other stations on the Dorchester Extension, it was a rectangular red brick structure with red sandstone and Concord granite trim. The roofs of the headhouse, the stairway to the platform, and the canopy were all flashed with copper. Fare control was in the headhouse, with a waiting room on the platform. The station was designed by William D. Austin . Construction of
13268-474: The station was renamed JFK/UMass in 1982. A 1987–88 renovation added a platform for the Braintree Branch. Commuter Rail service on the former Old Colony, last operated in 1959, resumed in 1997. However, the platform at JFK/UMass did not open until 2001. JFK/UMass station is located south of Columbia Road near Kosciuszko Circle, with the Interstate 93 viaduct to the south and west and Morrissey Boulevard to
13392-471: The station, including a second platform, would be completed in 1982. However, the project proved controversial; residents near Savin Hill station instead wanted a flyover there so that Braintree Branch trains would stop at both Savin Hill and JFK/UMass. State officials insisted that the flyover would be significantly more expensive than the second platform, and that five times as many South Shore riders were riding to JFK/UMass as to Savin Hill. The MBTA awarded
13516-622: 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
13640-590: 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
13764-524: 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
13888-529: The terminus of busing on either Red Line branch. A privately operated shuttle bus also connects the station with the UMass campus and the John F. Kennedy Library . In 1845, the Old Colony Railroad opened between Boston and Plymouth, Massachusetts . Crescent Avenue was a flag stop for South Braintree and Dorchester and Milton Branch trains by 1848. A station building was opened at Crescent Avenue on November 2, 1868, and replaced in 1883. In
14012-501: 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
14136-537: The tracks. A waiting room and fare lobby is located over the middle of the Red Line platforms, with elevators and stairs to both platforms. Footbridges connect the lobby to the Columbia Road bridge to the north, Sydney Street to the west, and the east plaza via a ramp structure. Exit-only stairs also lead from the north ends of the Red Line platforms to Columbia Road, and from the south ends to Sydney Street at Crescent Avenue. Because northbound Red Line trains arrive on two different platforms, an automatic illuminated sign in
14260-448: 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
14384-545: 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
14508-549: 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
14632-476: Was closed on July 15, 1927, for final construction and demolished shortly thereafter. Crescent Avenue was replaced with Columbia station, which primarily served the residential areas to the west. The station had a single island platform , 300 feet (91 m) long and varying 20–25 feet (6.1–7.6 m) wide, covered with a full-length reinforced concrete canopy. It was designed to be extended southwards if future ridership required six-car trains. The entrance to
14756-403: 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
14880-413: Was modified with a connection to the new platform, and became exit-only. The east part of the footbridge was removed and an employee building constructed in its place. The platform for the Braintree Branch opened on December 14, 1988, allowing all Red Line trains to stop at the renovated station. The renovation included elevators to both platforms, making the station accessible . Commuter rail service on
15004-427: 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
15128-469: 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
15252-528: 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
15376-467: Was replaced with a plain concrete headhouse, which opened on February 20, 1970, and the platform waiting room was removed. The footbridge was also replaced. The South Shore Branch (later the Braintree Branch) opened in 1971. Trains used two new tracks on the east side of Columbia; they did not stop in order to speed travel time between Quincy and Boston. The Columbia Point Development opened to
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