Anderson Regional Transportation Center
| Company type | Transportation hub |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | April 28, 2001 |
| Headquarters | Woburn , United States |
Area served | Woburn, Massachusetts and Boston suburbs |
| Products | Train and bus terminal services |
Anderson Regional Transportation Center (RTC)—referred to as Anderson/Woburn by the MBTA and Woburn–Anderson on Amtrak schedules—is a combined train and bus terminal situated at 100 Atlantic Avenue in Woburn, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. The center is conveniently reachable via Exit 30 from Interstate 93 and Exit 54 (Washington Street) when traveling southbound on Interstate 95/Route 128.
Inaugurated on April 28, 2001, Anderson RTC took over as the main Amtrak and MBTA station for Woburn, replacing a nearby facility. The center honors James R. "Jimmy" Anderson (1968–1981), whose passing led to the significant Woburn Wells litigation (Anderson v. Cryovac), which was depicted in both the book and film titled A Civil Action.
History
A station located at South Wilmington operated until June 14, 1959.
The station and its adjacent commercial-industrial zone were developed on the former Industri-Plex Superfund site, previously used for chemical and glue production. Between 1853 and 1931, Industri-Plex manufactured chemicals such as lead-arsenic insecticides, acetic acid, sulfuric acid, phenol, benzene, and toluene to supply local industries. From 1934 until 1969, glue was produced there using animal hide waste. These manufacturing activities resulted in soil contamination by metals including arsenic, lead, and chromium. During redevelopment efforts in the 1970s for industrial purposes, mixed industrial wastes accumulated over roughly 130 years were uncovered. On-site animal hide waste piles and lagoons contributed to leaching toxic metals into the environment. By the 1980s, the area contained streams, ponds, warehouses, office buildings, and buried deposits of hide waste. Remediation involved placing an impermeable cap over the site to prevent further environmental contamination.
Originally designated as MetroNorth Center after the surrounding development project, construction of the station began in April 2000. In October 2006, the MBTA introduced four short-turn round-trip services terminating at Anderson RTC; however, by 2012 the parking facilities remained underutilized.
Until December 2020, certain Haverhill Line trains operated via the Wildcat Branch and inner Lowell Line with stops at Anderson/Woburn. This service resumed in April 2021 but without intermediate stops. Between September and November 2023, all outer Haverhill Line trains were routed over the Wildcat Branch during signal upgrades, stopping at Anderson/Woburn with shuttle buses providing connections to Reading. Starting May 20, 2024, weekday midday inbound Haverhill Line trains will temporarily follow the Wildcat Branch route again, stopping only at Anderson/Woburn due to ongoing construction.
In June 2022, the MBTA explored improvements to sidings in Woburn aimed at achieving 30-minute service intervals between Boston and Anderson/Woburn by 2024.
Connections
The Massport authority operates the Logan Express bus service from Anderson RTC directly to Logan Airport terminals with departures every half hour or hour except late-night hours. On April 8, 2001—three weeks prior to the commencement of rail operations—Logan Express relocated from Mishawum to Anderson RTC, effectively doubling available parking spaces in Woburn from 450 to 900.
Additional connecting transit options have included the Route 128 Business Council's "Metro North Shuttle," which served Lahey Hospital & Medical Center and a Woburn business park between June 2005 and July 2006; this service was discontinued due to insufficient ridership and reduced funding. From November 2006 through June 2008, Manchester-Boston Regional Airport ran a complimentary shuttle linking their airport with Anderson station to position themselves as an alternative to Logan Airport; this was eventually replaced by a paid private shuttle offering service to downtown Boston.
Parking accommodations consist of separate lots designated for overnight use and commuter rail day parking. The overnight lot is intended primarily for airport and Amtrak patrons and carries a higher fee structure. Massport manages a total of 875 parking spaces while the MBTA lot provides an additional 1,500 spaces.