Arborway station
| Company type | MBTA light rail and bus transfer station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | March 1, 1924 |
| Defunct | December 28, 1985 |
| Headquarters | Boston , United States |
Arborway station functioned as a MBTA light rail stop and a hub for bus transfers in Boston, Massachusetts, serving the MBTA Green Line E branch. Situated within Arborway Yard close to the Forest Hills station complex, the station ceased operations in 1985 following the suspension and eventual discontinuation of the branch's outer segment.
History
The West End Street Railway inaugurated Forest Hills Yard on December 12, 1895, establishing a 12-track carhouse to support the newly electrified streetcar system. Its successor, the Boston Elevated Railway (BERy), constructed an additional carhouse in 1897. Between 1913 and 1922, BERy briefly operated a ramp connecting the Washington Street Elevated line to the yard, which was subsequently dismantled.
To alleviate congestion at Forest Hills station, BERy launched a streetcar transfer facility within the yard on March 1, 1924. Shortly thereafter, the Jamaica Plain via South Huntington line was extended to reach Arborway, improving transit links. During 1924–25, BERy replaced the older carhouses with a new six-track building and added a bus garage. By 1956, most streetcar routes terminating at Arborway had been converted to bus service except for the South Huntington line (later known as the Green Line E branch). In 1962, the MTA established its headquarters at 500 Arborway.
Arborway station was closed on December 28, 1985, when service was halted and never reinstated. The new Forest Hills station opened in 1987 featuring an E branch loop designed to substitute Arborway for vehicle layovers and upkeep; however, it never served streetcars. Instead, from 2000 until 2017, this loop accommodated route 39 buses. The loop and its waiting area were removed in 2017 during reconstruction related to the Casey Overpass replacement. The original Arborway carhouse stood until its demolition in 2001, after which it was replaced by a smaller facility dedicated to CNG buses.
The MBTA proposed constructing a two-level garage on the eastern segment of the site near the largely unused 500 Arborway building to expand capacity from 118 CNG buses to 200 battery-electric vehicles. This upgrade would support buses serving routes , , and allow route to transition to larger vehicles. The western portion of the property has been set aside for mixed-use development. Nevertheless, as of early 2025, progress on this project has been suspended due to funding limitations and is expected to require five to six years for completion once restarted.