Alewife station

Alewife station

Company type	MBTA rapid transit station
Industry	Public transportation
Founded	March 30, 1985 (1985-03-30)
Headquarters	North Cambridge, Massachusetts , United States
Products	Rapid transit, bus connections, park-and-ride facility, bicycle parking

Alewife station functions as a key Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) intermodal transit center situated in North Cambridge, Massachusetts. It serves as the northwestern endpoint of the Red Line rapid transit system and provides connections to multiple MBTA bus routes. Positioned at the intersection of the Minuteman Bikeway, Alewife Linear Park, Fitchburg Cutoff Path, and Alewife Greenway near Alewife Brook Parkway and Massachusetts Route 2, the facility includes a five-level parking structure catering to park-and-ride users along with three secured bike cages. The station's designation is derived from its proximity to Alewife Brook Parkway and Alewife Brook.

The Fitchburg Railroad, which is now incorporated into the MBTA Commuter Rail's Fitchburg Line, commenced operations through North Cambridge in 1842, with several branch lines subsequently discontinued. Although proposals to extend the 1912-launched Cambridge–Dorchester line to North Cambridge were made during the 1930s, progress was only realized in the 1960s. The Red Line Northwest Extension initiative included establishing a station at Alewife Brook Parkway to intercept traffic from Route 2 after a planned highway extension was abandoned in 1970. Construction started in 1979; following Arlington’s refusal to permit further extension to Arlington Heights, Alewife was designated as the terminal station.

The station officially began service on March 30, 1985, with comprehensive peak-hour operations commencing that December. It features a single underground island platform, an adjacent busway, and a fare lobby topped with a glass roof integrated into the parking garage. In 1986, ramps linking the garage directly to Route 2 were installed. The presence of Alewife station has spurred transit-oriented development on adjacent former industrial sites. The MBTA has plans to replace the aging parking garage with new construction slated for the late 2020s. Additionally, six public artworks commissioned through the Arts on the Line program are displayed at this location.

Station layout

Alewife station consists of one subterranean island platform that serves two tracks used for passenger boarding and disembarking. A scissors crossover located east of the platform allows trains to switch between tracks. Extending approximately northwest from the station is a three-track underground yard utilized for train layup and overnight storage.

Next to the platform stands a five-story parking structure accommodating 2,733 vehicles, with entry points situated on its northwest side. The garage's ground level houses an enclosed bus platform approximately long, featuring bays on both sides and two secure bike cages. Pedestrian access points are located on the south side (Cambridgepark Drive) and west side (Steel Place). Beneath the garage runs an east–west concourse that connects to the bus platform via ramps. The parking facility is bisected by an elongated atrium containing red exhaust ducts designed for ventilating the bus platform area.

To the east of the garage, this concourse opens into an atrium covered by a glass pyramid roof that contains faregates and provides access to the platform on its northern end. A third bike cage is positioned beneath escalators linking this atrium with various garage levels. A separate headhouse connects directly to the platform’s eastern extremity. Elevators at both ends of the platform ensure full accessibility throughout the station. The interior walls and floors are finished with brown Welsh quarry tile accented by granite elements. The Minuteman Bikeway and Fitchburg Cutoff Path converge near the garage’s northwest corner, while the Alewife Linear Park runs along its northern boundary past the eastern headhouse.

Bus connections

Several MBTA bus lines conclude their routes at the busway located within the Alewife parking structure, providing service to northwestern suburban areas such as Arlington, Lexington, and Burlington. Due to traffic limitations that restrict direct entry into Alewife, Route ends nearby at Russell Field and connects to Alewife through a brief segment of the Cambridge Linear Park.

Alewife is additionally served by private bus operators:

• The Route 128 Business Council manages shuttle routes from Alewife to workplaces along the Route 2 and Route 128 corridors. Among these, seven routes are accessible to the general public, while one is designated for private residential use.
• Go Bus (previously known as World Wide Bus) provides intercity transportation linking Alewife, , and New York City. This service began operations in October 2010.

Railroads

The Charlestown Branch Railroad initially opened between Charlestown and Somerville in October 1839, extending its line to Fresh Pond in West Cambridge by 1842 to facilitate ice harvesting. Under the leadership of Alvah Crocker, the railroad expanded from West Cambridge to Fitchburg during 1843–1845, becoming the Fitchburg Railroad. Key stops included West Cambridge (Brick Yards) at Sherman Street and Hills Crossing near Belmont. The Lexington and West Cambridge Railroad (commonly called the Lexington Branch) launched northward from West Cambridge in 1846, while the Watertown Branch Railroad commenced service southward from West Cambridge in 1849.

In 1870, the Boston and Lowell Railroad (B&L) acquired control of the Lexington Branch to curb competition, constructing the Fitchburg Cutoff to connect it with its main line near Somerville Junction. Stations along this route included North Cambridge at what is now Massachusetts Avenue. The Central Massachusetts Railroad began operations in 1881, running parallel to the Fitchburg line west of Hills Crossing before merging with the Lexington Branch at North Cambridge. The B&L was absorbed by the Boston and Maine Railroad (B&M) in 1887, followed by acquisition of the Fitchburg Railroad in 1900.

Between 1926 and 1927, B&M built two track segments enabling both the Lexington Branch and Central Massachusetts Railroad to utilize the Fitchburg mainline east of West Cambridge. Passenger trains were redirected onto this reconstructed line starting April 24, 1927; consequently, the Fitchburg Cutoff was relegated exclusively to freight traffic and saw closure of stations such as North Cambridge. Passenger service on the Watertown Branch ceased in 1938. Hills Crossing station was closed by the mid-1940s, with West Cambridge station shutting down by the 1960s. Established in 1964 to support commuter rail operations around Boston’s suburbs, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) discontinued lightly patronized lines including the Lexington Branch in January 1977.

Planning the Red Line

By 1922, the Boston Elevated Railway had designated the Cambridge–Dorchester line terminus as a permanent endpoint, anticipating that northern ridership demands would be met by extending rapid transit from Lechmere Square. A 1926 study suggested a northern extension from Lechmere to North Cambridge utilizing the Southern Division and Fitchburg Cutoff, with potential further expansion along the Lexington Branch. Although proposals emerged in the 1930s to extend from Harvard to North Cambridge or Arlington, these plans were never advanced.

The 1945 Coolidge Commission advocated for an extension from Harvard to Arlington Heights through East Watertown. By 1947, the focus shifted toward extending service northward to Porter Square, with branches running along the Fitchburg Railroad toward Waltham and along the Lexington Branch toward Lexington. The 1966 Program for Mass Transportation prioritized an immediate extension to Alewife Brook Parkway via Porter Square, allowing for possible future growth toward Arlington or Waltham. Initial designs included a subway beneath Massachusetts Avenue reaching Porter Square, followed by a surface alignment along the Fitchburg route to Alewife. In the late 1960s, plans expanded to follow the Lexington Branch, terminating at Route 128.

Simultaneously, highway proposals aimed to widen Route 2 and extend it eastward along the Fitchburg Line corridor toward the planned Inner Belt Expressway. In 1970, Governor Francis Sargent halted most highway projects inside Route 128 and launched the Boston Transportation Planning Review, emphasizing new transit development. This shift heightened demand for a Red Line extension at least as far as a park-and-ride facility at Alewife Brook Parkway to alleviate traffic on Route 2. By the mid-1970s, the extension was divided into two stages: an all-subway segment to Arlington Heights via Alewife, followed by a subsequent phase extending to Route 128.

Three candidate locations for Alewife station were assessed based on alignment: routes via Garden Street or Porter Square/Fitchburg mainline positioned the station north of the Fitchburg mainline on the Lexington Branch; alternatives using the freight cutoff (through Davis or Cotter Square) placed it east or south of Alewife Brook Parkway on pre-1927 Lexington Branch alignments. Ultimately, an all-tunnel route passing through Porter and Davis Squares was selected, situating the station at the southern option.

Construction

Primarily conceived as a park-and-ride hub for suburban commuters, Alewife station was constructed on a former brickyard site near the terminus of Route 2 expressway. Positioned away from dense residential and commercial areas, it was designed to be accessible on foot from East Arlington and North Cambridge. The industrial nature of the location minimized disruptions related to land acquisition. Designed by Ellenzweig Associates, Alewife was among the first MBTA stations built with accessibility features integrated from inception. The station’s name derives from nearby Alewife Brook and Parkway, themselves named after the native alewife fish.

Construction of the Red Line Northwest Extension commenced in 1978 amidst opposition from Arlington residents and reductions in federal funding, which resulted in Alewife becoming the line’s terminus. The Fitchburg Cutoff was abandoned in 1979 to facilitate construction activities. Station construction was carried out by Perini Corporation. On January 12, 1981, a fatal accident occurred during construction efforts.

After six years of development, Alewife station opened for passenger service on March 30, 1985. Due to incomplete yard facilities at opening, only Ashmont trains terminated at Alewife during peak periods initially; Braintree trains operated only as far as Davis until December 26. While initially budgeted at $78 million, final expenditures reached $84 million. In 1989, Alewife received a Federal Design Achievement Award from the National Endowment for the Arts in recognition of its innovative integration of art and functionality.

At launch, all garage access was routed exclusively via Alewife Brook Parkway, directing Route 2 motorists through a congested rotary located north of the station. Improvements to roadways were delayed due to political disagreements among Arlington, Belmont, and Cambridge regarding traffic impacts. A temporary plan announced in May 1984 replaced this rotary with a signalized intersection and introduced direct ramps from Route 2 to the garage utilizing former rail corridors. An environmental review concluded in August 1984. The $3.5 million project received approval in June 1985; construction started that September and concluded approximately one year later.

Development and trails

Prior to the establishment of Alewife station, the locale—referred to as the "industrial triangle"—experienced minimal development, with the Rindge Towers built in 1971 being a notable exception. Significant development initiatives took shape during the 1960s and 1970s, spearheaded by Arthur D. Little alongside municipal planners. The inauguration of the station catalyzed transit-oriented development, converting former industrial properties into commercial office spaces and advanced research and development centers amid Massachusetts' economic expansion in the 1980s. Factors attracting developers included expansive land parcels, convenient subway connections to Cambridge and Boston, and closeness to Route 2. A parking expansion proposal during the mid-1980s was ultimately declined due to opposition from local residents. Residential construction commenced in 2003.

The Alewife Linear Park debuted in 1985, followed by the development of the Minuteman Bikeway between 1992 and 1993, which was extended to Alewife by 1998, creating a link for northwestern suburbs via the former Lexington Branch corridor. Alewife evolved into a central hub for trail connections supported by enhancements such as expanded sidewalks along Alewife Brook Parkway, the introduction of the Alewife Greenway in 2012, and the opening of the Fitchburg Cutoff Path in 2013. The growing popularity of the Minuteman Bikeway prompted the MBTA to install two secure bike parking cages accommodating 150 bicycles each at Alewife in 2008, with a third cage added around 2013 as part of a broader initiative to expand bicycle parking options.

Parking garage changes

By the early 2000s, demand frequently exceeded capacity at the parking garage. In April 2008, the MBTA disclosed insufficient funding to add two additional levels to the garage, an expansion projected to cost between $30 and $35 million and provide approximately 1,300 extra spaces. Although originally engineered with expansion potential in mind, uncertainties remained regarding structural integrity and compliance with updated building codes. In August 2018, a contract worth $5.7 million was awarded by the MBTA for essential repair work. Construction commenced in September 2018, leading to temporary closure of primary garage entrances by October 2019. Elevator replacement efforts began mid-2018 and concluded by September 2020.

On February 4, 2023, a vehicle collided with the upper-level edge barrier, dislodging a concrete segment weighing approximately 10,000 pounds onto the glass ceiling of the west fare lobby. One occupant sustained minor injuries. The station was temporarily shut down for inspections and repairs; shuttle bus services operated between Alewife and Davis stations during this period. Partial reopening of the garage occurred on February 8, followed by limited station service resuming on February 10 utilizing only the east headhouse. Full reopening of both the main lobby and top floor of the garage was achieved on March 27, 2023.

In April 2024, plans were announced by the MBTA to evaluate future options for Alewife station within its five-year capital improvement program, including consideration of removing the parking garage. By August 2024, a request for proposals was issued seeking private sector interest in demolishing the existing garage and constructing new developments. This redevelopment could extend roughly northward from the Fitchburg Line near Alewife Brook Parkway, encompassing an area currently occupied by a commuter rail maintenance facility slated for relocation to Iron Horse Park in Billerica.

As of September 2024, MBTA intentions include building a new access point near Alewife dedicated to hi-rail construction vehicles between 2026 and 2028. This tunnel will connect with Alewife Center access road just north of Russell Field headhouse, enhancing construction logistics by providing a closer entry point than the current one near Charles/MGH station.

Arts on the Line

In 1978, the MBTA collaborated with the Cambridge Arts Council to initiate Arts on the Line, a program dedicating 0.5% of construction budgets to incorporate lasting public artworks into both new and refurbished subway stations. These installations were created to withstand 75 years of exposure and potential vandalism.

At Alewife station, six of the initial twenty pieces remain on display:

• Untitled by Richard Fleischner – An environmental artwork featuring an artificial pond, granite blocks, paving stones, and trees located south of the parking garage
• Alewife Wayside by David Davison – An abstract design composed of blue porcelain tiles along the southern pedestrian ramp
• Alewife Cows by Joel Janowitz – A mural illustrating cows grazing beside a faux bus platform exit
• Untitled by William Keyser Jr. – Two sculptural benches crafted from maple wood situated on the garage’s ground level
• The End of the Red Line by Alejandro and Moira Siña – A suspended installation of 1,000 neon tubes above the northern Red Line track
• Untitled by Nancy Webb – A collection of 100 bronze tiles featuring low-relief depictions of local plants and wildlife, distributed throughout the station lobby

In addition to these, Alewife station houses two artworks outside of this program:

• Sculpture as a Sign by Toshihiro Katayama – A large stainless steel disk displaying the MBTA "T" emblem, positioned at the south end of the garage
• The Alewife Reservation Mural Project by David Fichter – A mural illustrating native flora and fauna, created in 2004 with participation from students and supported by Friends of Alewife Reservation and Cambridge Arts Council

External links

• MBTA – Alewife
• MBTA – Transit-Oriented Development at Alewife
• Google Maps Street View: south entrance, west entrance, east headhouse