Chelsea (MBTA station)

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CHELSEA

Chelsea MBTA Station
Station statistics
Address Arlington Street & 6th Street
Chelsea, MA 02150
Coordinates 42°23′45″N 71°02′03″W / 42.3957°N 71.0342°W / 42.3957; -71.0342Coordinates: 42°23′45″N 71°02′03″W / 42.3957°N 71.0342°W / 42.3957; -71.0342
Line(s)
  Newburyport/Rockport Line
Platforms 2 side platforms
Tracks 2
Other information
Opened November 29, 1985
Rebuilt 2015 (planned)
Fare zone 1A
Services
Preceding station   MBTA   Following station
Terminus
 Newburyport/Rockport Line

Chelsea is a station on the MBTA Commuter Rail. It is located in Chelsea, Massachusetts, between North Station and River Works on the Newburyport/Rockport Line. Chelsea Station opened on November 29, 1985, after the city had been without train service since 1958.[1][2] The station was built onto the existing right of way, with one platform taking up the former track utilized by Boston & Albany Railroad's Grand Junction Branch, rather than going through the potentially costly and controversial eminent domain process to acquire land for a larger station. The rails of the former track are still visible in the platform. Due to the location and short length of the platforms, trains are forced to block the Sixth Street crossing while loading and unloading passengers.

Future plans

Chelsea Station was a proposed stop on the MBTA's 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 the downtown stations. The project is shelved due to the MBTA's financial difficulties.

In March 2013, the MBTA began studying an extension of the Silver Line to Chelsea via a newly constructed bypass road in East Boston. Three alternatives were discussed for the Chelsea section. One would run up the abandoned section of the Grand Junction Railroad right-of-way from Eastern Avenue to Chelsea station with stops at Eastern Avenue, Highland/Box District, Chelsea station, and Mystic Mall. The second alignment would follow the Grand Junction to just short of the station, then diverge onto surface roads to Bellingham Square. The third alignment would run entirely on surface streets, serving two stops on Central Avenue and four stops along a loop serving Chelsea station and the MGH Chelsea healthcare center.[3]

In September 2013, the MBTA indicated that it would pursue the first alternative despite potential issues with bridge clearances and rebuilding Chelsea station.[4]

On October 30, 2013, MassDOT announced $82.5 million in state funding for a modified version of the first alternative to be constructed. A new $20 million Chelsea commuter rail station and 'transit hub' will be constructed at the Mystic Mall terminus of the new Silver Line route, so that trains will no longer block Sixth Street. The Silver Line will have a new "Downtown Chelsea" stop, near the current station location.[5][6] The new transfer station, to open in late 2015, will be fully handicapped accessible.[7]

References

  1. ↑ Boston Globe, November 30, 1985.
  2. ↑ Belcher, Jonathan (23 March 2013). "Changes to Transit Service in the MBTA district" (PDF). NETransit. Retrieved 5 November 2013. 
  3. ↑ "Silver Line Gateway Alternatives Analysis". Massachusetts Department of Transportation. 19 June 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2013. 
  4. ↑ Hamwey, Scott (18 September 2013). "Silver Line Gateway Alternatives Analysis: Public Meeting - September 18, 2013". Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Retrieved 15 October 2013. 
  5. ↑ State House News Surface (30 October 2013). "More details announced on Silver Line expansion to Chelsea". Boston Globe. Retrieved 4 November 2013. 
  6. ↑ Guzman, Dan (30 October 2013). "MBTA To Extend Silver Line To East Boston, Chelsea". 90.9 WBUR. Retrieved 4 November 2013. 
  7. ↑ "Governor Patrick Announces MBTA Silver Line Expansion". Commonwealth Conversations: Transportation. Massachusetts Department of Transportation. 30 October 2013. Retrieved 4 November 2013. 

External links

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