Ashland station (MBTA)
| Company type | MBTA Commuter Rail station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | August 24, 2002 |
| Headquarters | Ashland , United States |
Area served | Ashland, Massachusetts |
| Products | Commuter rail services |
| Website | www |
Ashland station serves as a stop on the MBTA Commuter Rail network within Ashland, Massachusetts, situated along the Framingham/Worcester Line. Primarily designed as a park-and-ride location, it provides 678 parking spots and offers connections to the MWRTA bus system.
History
The original station, known as Unionville before the town's separation from Hopkinton in 1846 and subsequent renaming to Ashland, was operational by 1838 with enhancements made around 1846. Passenger services to the initial downtown station—crafted by Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge—ceased on April 24, 1960, when the Boston and Albany Railroad limited stops west of Framingham to major city destinations only. Although service to Worcester ended in 1975, it was reinstated in 1994.
When Worcester service resumed in 1994, trains initially ran nonstop from Framingham; however, additional intermediate park and ride stops were later introduced to offset delays caused by reopening the Greenbush Line. Following congestion problems at station in 2000, Ashland and nearby communities collaborated to launch their stations within a three-month period to better distribute commuter traffic. The trio of stations, with a combined budget of $14.2 million, aimed for a December 31, 2001 opening but faced postponements due to disagreements over platform design. Full-length high-level platforms were dismissed because of freight train conflicts; instead, "mini-high" platforms paired with extended low-level sections were constructed.
and opened on June 22, 2002; Ashland's station followed on August 24. The construction of Ashland station amounted to $7.4 million. Initially, local authorities capped parking at 450 spaces to minimize congestion on Route 135 but eventually agreed to MBTA’s proposal for a lot accommodating 700 vehicles. The new facility was established west of the town center where sufficient land was available for expansive parking. The original downtown station building has since been repurposed as a medical office.
In 2023, Ashland station underwent renovations costing $2.5 million that included refurbishing the footbridge and resurfacing platforms. To facilitate this work, the station was closed temporarily from August 26 through December 23.