Assembly station
| Company type | Rapid transit station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | September 2, 2014 |
| Headquarters | Somerville, Massachusetts , United States |
| Products | Rapid transit services (Orange Line) |
Assembly station—originally referred to as Assembly Square during its planning phase—is a rapid transit stop on the MBTA's Orange Line located in Somerville, Massachusetts.[1] Officially opened on September 2, 2014, it marked the first new subway station addition to the MBTA network since 1987.[2][3] This station offers direct transit access to Assembly Square, a significant mixed-use retail and residential project developed on the grounds of a former Ford automobile assembly facility, as well as the adjacent Assembly Square Marketplace.
Station layout
Positioned on Assembly Square’s eastern edge close to the Mystic River, Assembly station is situated along existing Orange Line tracks. It consists of a single island platform that can accommodate up to six cars on each side.[4] In contrast to nearby stations such as Community College, Sullivan, and Wellington, Assembly does not include a second island platform for the currently inactive express track. The station features two headhouses located at either end of the platform, connected by footbridges leading to parking areas on G Street. It is fully compliant with accessibility standards and provides bicycle parking facilities.[5] Since Sullivan Square and Wellington function as major bus hubs nearby, Assembly was not designed with bus transfer amenities.
The station showcases multiple pieces of public art, including artistically designed benches and a metal panel mosaic created by Artists for Humanity, complemented by MBTA-produced panels that depict the historical significance of the site.[1]
In 2012, there was consideration of adding a commuter rail stop at Assembly Square as an interim measure to address air quality issues associated with delays in the Green Line Extension project.[6] However, MassDOT ultimately opposed this proposal due to the complexity involved and scheduling challenges. Implementing such a commuter rail station would have necessitated separate platforms for the diverging Haverhill Line and Newburyport/Rockport Line services.
History and financing
The total construction budget was estimated at up to $57 million, with $22 million allocated from the state’s Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, plus an optional additional $3.5 million. The federal FTA Section 5309 New Starts program contributed $16 million, while $15 million came from Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRIT), the project’s developer.
The location’s name, Assembly Square, preserves its heritage as the site of a former Ford automobile assembly plant that utilized nearby rail infrastructure.
On February 8, 2011, the MBTA board approved a memorandum of understanding with FRIT that outlined funding arrangements—a critical step in advancing the project. Somerville city officials granted approval in May 2011, after which MBTA initiated construction bidding processes aimed at beginning work by late 2011.
In October 2011, S&R Construction Co. received a $29.2 million contract to build the station, with construction starting that fall. The project necessitated 18 weekend closures of the Orange Line segment between Sullivan and Oak Grove from June 2012 through late 2014, including five overnight shutdowns during parts of 2012 to 2014.
To enable construction activities, outbound trains operated on an express track while inbound trains used the outbound track, allowing full access to the site. By early 2013, concrete columns and elevator shafts were underway; headhouse framing commenced in June of that year, platform sections were installed in July, and headhouse structures were completed by June 2014.
Inbound train service returned to its normal alignment on July 1, 2014; outbound trains followed suit on July 21. The station officially opened on September 2, 2014, although some finishing touches continued through November. On opening day, heavy rainfall caused flooding on the platform. Partners Healthcare funded completion of the south headhouse as a dedicated full-time entrance by 2016.
The Assembly Square development was expected to generate approximately 45,000 daily vehicle trips; the station’s purpose is to encourage public transit use and reduce reliance on personal automobiles. Initial ridership forecasts anticipated about 5,000 daily boardings by 2030; actual counts reached 1,864 within the first year and approached nearly 4,000 by fiscal year 2019. The entire Orange Line—including Assembly—was closed for maintenance from August through September 2022.
A future $49 million pedestrian bridge across the Mystic River is planned to link Assembly Square with Encore Boston Harbor casino in Everett. By 2021, plans also included extending the station’s north headhouse eastward to provide direct access to nearby parkland; however, as of April 2024, bridge design remained incomplete and MBTA had not committed to proceeding with the headhouse extension.
Assembly Square was previously proposed as a stop on the now-canceled Urban Ring Project—a circumferential bus rapid transit route intended to connect radial MBTA rail lines and alleviate congestion in downtown Boston. Draft plans located this stop roughly 800 feet westward along Grand Union Boulevard.
External links
- MBTA – Assembly Station
- MBTA project information
- Public meeting materials: January 2010 , November 2011 , May 2012
- Federal Transit Administration report
- Google Maps Street View of the station
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