Canal Street incline
| Company type | Transit infrastructure |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | 1898 |
| Defunct | 2004 |
| Headquarters | Boston, Massachusetts , United States |
Area served | Boston, Massachusetts |
The Canal Street incline—also referred to as the Canal Street portal—functioned as a ramp connecting two transit tunnels in Boston to both surface-level and elevated rail lines. Situated within the Bulfinch Triangle, between North Station and Haymarket Square, it spanned two city blocks bordered by Canal Street, Causeway Street, Haverhill Street, and Market Street. This incline marked the northern terminus of the Tremont Street subway (presently the MBTA Green Line) and the Washington Street Tunnel (now part of the Orange Line). Constructed in 1898, it remained in use until 2004, when all connecting lines transitioned fully underground.
History
In the 1890s, during the design phase of the Tremont Street subway, multiple options were evaluated for its northern endpoint. Each plan incorporated an incline ascending to street level to accommodate streetcars arriving from Charlestown and Cambridge, alongside a terminal designated for tunnel-served streetcars.[1] The site had previously contained tracks serving the Boston and Maine Railroad’s Haymarket Square terminal, which ceased operations in 1893 following the establishment of North Union Station.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name The Boston Transit Commission constructed a four-track incline: the inner pair dedicated to surface streetcars, while the outer pair was intended for a future underground loop station that was eventually replaced by a surface terminal.[1]
The four-track incline commenced service on September 3, 1898, completing the Tremont Street subway’s final segment. On June 10, 1901, its outer tracks were linked to the newly inaugurated Charlestown Elevated; meanwhile, the inner tracks continued serving streetcars exclusively. By this time, a pedestrian tunnel had been built beneath the incline at Traverse Street.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name When the Washington Street Tunnel opened on November 30, 1908, it connected to the Charlestown Elevated through the two eastern tracks of the incline. The incline was also extended westward to include two additional tracks, restoring four-track operations for streetcars.[2]
On June 1, 1912, the Causeway Street elevated, which led to the Lechmere Viaduct, was connected to these outer tracks. After route converted to bus service on July 1, 1949, only streetcars serving North Station’s terminus utilized the center tracks. The closure of the Charlestown Elevated on April 4, 1975 resulted in removal of the eastern incline tracks. The opening of the Haymarket North Extension on April 7 introduced a new tunnel and an underground North Station.[3]
The Causeway Street terminal ceased operations on March 28, 1997, to allow construction of a new Green Line tunnel. Consequently, tracks leading to the Causeway Street elevated were shifted eastward onto previously unused sections of the incline; additionally, a temporary elevated structure was erected above Haverhill Street.[1] This temporary elevated service ended on June 25, 2004; shortly after, on June 28, service commenced at the new underground North Station "superstation."[3] Subsequently, a new incline located near Martha Road approximately northwest was opened on November 12, 2005, connecting the extended tunnel to the Lechmere Viaduct.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name The original Canal Street incline location was later redeveloped for commercial purposes.