Central (MBTA station)

CENTRAL
Outbound platform at Central, facing northwest
Location	At the intersection of Prospect and Magazine Streets and Massachusetts and Western Avenue, Cambridge, MA
Coordinates	42°21′54″N 71°06′12″W / 42.365°N 71.1034°W / 42.365; -71.1034Coordinates: 42°21′54″N 71°06′12″W / 42.365°N 71.1034°W / 42.365; -71.1034
Owned by	Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
Line(s)	Red Line
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	2
Construction
Bicycle facilities	36 spaces
Disabled access	Yes
History
Opened	March 23, 1912
Traffic
Passengers (2009)	14,531 (weekday average boardings)[1]
Services
Preceding station   MBTA   Following station Harvard toward Alewife Red Line Kendall/MIT toward Ashmont or Braintree
Location

Central (also called Central Square) is an MBTA Red Line subway station located at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue with Western Avenue, Prospect Street, and Magazine Street at Central Square, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It also includes a street-level bus terminal for local routes.

Station layout

History

Old tiles above the platforms

Central Square station opened along with Park Street Under, Kendall Square station, and Harvard Square station on March 23, 1912. Several 1912-built tile mosaics displaying the station name are still visible above the platforms. Similar mosaics are visible at a number of other older MBTA stations, including South Station and Broadway on the Red Line.

On January 26, 1978, heavy rains flooded the station.^[2]

The platforms at Central were extended in the mid-1980s, as with other Red Line stations, allowing 6-car trains to be run beginning in January 1988.^[3] The platform extensions at Central are particularly apparent, because the corresponding arcade of arches and columns between the tracks was not extended when the station was lengthened.

A fictionalized version of Central's platform area appears as a backdrop in the Xbox and PlayStation 2 game Karaoke Revolution.

Bus connections

Inbound entrance on Mass Ave

Central is a major transfer station, with 8 MBTA Bus routes running from the station to various parts of Cambridge, Somerville, Allston, and Boston.

• 1 Harvard/Holyoke Gate - Dudley Station via Massachusetts Avenue
• 47 Central Square, Cambridge - Broadway Station via B.U. Medical Center, Dudley Station & Longwood Medical Area
• 64 Oak Square - University Park, Cambridge or Kendall/MIT via North Beacon Street
• 70 Cedarwood or Central Square, Waltham - University Park via Watertown Square, Arsenal Street & Western Avenue
• 70A North Waltham - University Park via Watertown Square and Central Square, Cambridge
• 83 Rindge Avenue - Central Square, Cambridge via Porter Square Station
• 91 Sullivan Square Station - Central Square, Cambridge via Washington Street
• CT1 Central Square, Cambridge - B.U. Medical Center/Boston Medical Center via M.I.T.

Accessibility

Central is wheelchair accessible. The elevator on the south side of Mass Ave serves the inbound platform, while the elevator on the north side of Mass Ave serves the outbound platform. There are separate entrances for inbound and outbound trains; there is no fare-controlled connection between the two platforms.

References

External links

• MBTA - Central
• Media related to Central (MBTA station) at Wikimedia Commons
• Historical photo of Central in 1980
• Prospect Street entrance from Google Maps Street View
• Essex Street entrance from Google Maps Street View

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Subway lines (List of stations) Heavy rail      Blue      Orange      Red Light rail      Green "B" Branch "C" Branch "D" Branch "E" Branch      Ashmont–Mattapan      Commuter Rail lines (List of stations) North Station lines Fitchburg Haverhill (Wildcat Branch) Lowell Newburyport/Rockport South Station lines Fairmount Framingham/Worcester Franklin Greenbush Needham Old Colony (Kingston/Plymouth Middleborough/Lakeville      CapeFLYER) Providence/Stoughton Bus routes (List of routes)      Silver Crosstown routes Key routes Trackless trolleys Routes East Boston, Chelsea, Revere Melrose, Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield South Boston Other services      Boat The Ride Component parts of system lines      Boylston Street Subway      Haymarket North Extension      Lechmere Viaduct      Tremont Street Subway      Washington Street Subway Under construction           Government Center closure      Green Line Extension      South Coast Rail      Wachusett extension Proposed      Lynn extension           Red Line—Blue Line Connector Urban Ring Project      North–South Rail Link      Plaistow extension      Nashua extension      Westerly extension      Indigo Line (Fairmount Grand Junction Track 61) History Predecessor companies Boston Elevated Railway Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway Middlesex and Boston Street Railway Newton and Boston Street Railway Former lines      Atlantic Avenue Elevated      Causeway Street Elevated      Charlestown Elevated      Green Line "A" Branch      Lexington Branch Streetcar lines      Washington Street Elevated      Woburn Loop      History of the Green Line Other Accessibility Arts on the Line "Charlie on the M.T.A." CharlieCard Police Nomenclature Yards and maintenance facilities