Braintree station (MBTA)

Braintree station

Company type	MBTA intermodal transit center
Industry	Public transportation
Founded	March 22, 1980 (1980-03-22)
Headquarters	Braintree, Massachusetts , United States
Products	Rapid transit (Red Line), Commuter rail (Fall River/New Bedford Line, Kingston Line), Bus services
Website	www.mbta.com/stops/place-brntn

Braintree station functions as a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) intermodal transit center situated in Braintree, Massachusetts. It accommodates the rapid transit Red Line along with the Fall River/New Bedford Line and Kingston Line of the MBTA Commuter Rail network.

Positioned at the intersection of Ivory and Union Streets, the Red Line and commuter rail tracks run side by side but feature staggered platforms: the commuter rail platform lies to the north of Union Street, whereas the Red Line platform is located to the south. The facility boasts a substantial park and ride structure offering 1,322 parking spots. Accessibility is fully ensured for all transit modes at Braintree station.

Station layout

Through the station, two Red Line tracks and two commuter rail tracks extend parallel along a north-south embankment, with the Red Line tracks situated on the west side. The station is equipped with two island platforms. South of Union Street is the Red Line island platform, beneath which resides the fare lobby. Extending southward are tail tracks leading to Caddigan Yard, a storage facility comprising four tracks. Adjacent to the east of the Red Line platform stands a three-level parking garage. Between this garage and the Red Line platform lies a busway serving various MBTA bus routes.

The commuter rail platform, an -long elevated platform, is positioned north of Union Street. Access is provided at its southern end via a pedestrian crossing over the eastern track. Ramps connect this platform to Union Street, the busway, and the Red Line fare lobby. Eastward of the commuter rail platform is a five-track freight yard utilized by CSX and the Fore River Railroad. Full accessibility is maintained throughout all transportation modes at Braintree station.

Earlier stations

The Old Colony Railroad commenced operations between Boston and Plymouth via Braintree in November 1845. In August 1846, the Fall River Railroad started running from South Braintree to Randolph, extending through service to Fall River by December of that year. Soon after opening, stations were established at both Braintree and South Braintree locations. By 1848, South Braintree functioned as an outer terminus for certain local short-turn services.

The opening of the South Shore Railroad eastward from Braintree occurred on January 1, 1849. In 1854, a merger combined the Old Colony and Fall River Railroads into the Old Colony and Fall River Railroad. By 1856, Braintree station was located at Elm Street where the South Shore line diverged from Old Colony; meanwhile, South Braintree stood north of Pearl Street where routes branched toward Plymouth and Fall River. On August 17, 1860, South Braintree station was destroyed by fire.

A fire—suspected to be arson—destroyed both Braintree station and its adjacent signal tower on July 30, 1887. Replacement plans were finalized later that year, with a new station opening in 1889. South Braintree received a new station building in 1891 as well as a freight house around 1893.

In 1908, the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad proposed eliminating seven grade crossings within Quincy and Braintree but met resistance from local residents. Another initiative in 1913 aimed at constructing bridges and an underpass was unsuccessful. The School Street crossing was removed following Church Street’s construction in 1936; subsequently, a Union Street underpass was completed between 1937 and 1938. In November 1937, a contract valued at $9,789 was awarded for platform canopies and other improvements linked to grade crossing removal.

Service on the Old Colony Division ceased on June 30, 1959 after completion of the Southeast Expressway. Construction of this expressway included an Elm Street bridge while severing access to River Street. The former stations at Braintree and South Braintree were demolished around 1971 during development of the Red Line extension.

MBTA station

The groundbreaking ceremony for Braintree station took place on July 13, 1977, and it officially began serving the Red Line on March 22, 1980. Between 1984 and 1988, the Cape Cod and Hyannis Railroad ran a state-funded seasonal weekend route from Braintree to Hyannis, Massachusetts on Cape Cod. Commuter rail operations commenced on September 26, 1997, coinciding with the reopening of the Middleborough/Lakeville Line and Plymouth/Kingston Line. During this period, the Pearl Street level crossing was replaced by a railroad overpass. The station has been confirmed as accessible since at least 1989.

From 1980 until January 1, 2007, passengers entering the subway at Braintree and Quincy Adams were subject to a double entry fare and a single exit fare upon departure; these additional charges were discontinued at the start of 2007. Prior to 1980, similar fare policies applied to inner stations along the Braintree Branch.

In cases of service interruptions, Braintree functions as a terminal point for both the Old Colony Lines and the Greenbush Line.

Garage repairs

Although constructed with an anticipated service life of fifty years, the Braintree parking garage quickly experienced concrete deterioration due to water infiltration and structural deficiencies. Both Quincy Adams and Braintree garages underwent repairs during the mid-1990s. In 2015, the MBTA initiated a $4.4 million project targeting critical structural issues in these garages; however, comprehensive repair or replacement remained necessary. Additional maintenance efforts took place in 2016, and the footbridge linking the garage to the station was closed in February 2017 due to its poor condition.

Between May 2018 and 2021, the garage underwent a complete $29 million renovation. This overhaul included installing canopies over ramps and replacing the former footbridge. Although the construction plan aimed to maintain garage access throughout, approximately 400 parking spaces were closed in February 2020 to expedite completion from December 2021 to June 2021. The garage was fully shut down from October 2020 until a partial reopening occurred in April 2021.

External links

• MBTA - Braintree Station
• MBTA - South Shore Garages Project