Chelsea station (MBTA)

Chelsea station

Company type	Transit station
Industry	Public transportation
Founded	2018 (Silver Line service)
Headquarters	Chelsea, Massachusetts , United States
Area served	Chelsea, Massachusetts
Products	Bus rapid transit (Silver Line), Commuter rail (Newburyport/Rockport Line)
Owner	Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)

Chelsea station is an intermodal transit facility managed by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), situated next to Mystic Mall in Chelsea, Massachusetts. It functions as the endpoint for the SL3 route within the MBTA Silver Line bus rapid transit (BRT) system and also accommodates the Newburyport/Rockport Line of the MBTA Commuter Rail. The fully accessible station includes a loop with two compact platforms dedicated to the Silver Line, alongside two extended side platforms serving commuter rail operations.

Historically, the nearby East Everett station was active under the Boston and Maine Railroad and its predecessor, the Eastern Railroad, from 1880 until approximately 1950. Prior to its cancellation in 2010, the Urban Ring Project envisioned a circumferential BRT line featuring a stop at Mystic Mall. Subsequent planning efforts for Chelsea led to an extension of the Silver Line and a new commuter rail station announced in 2013. Construction commenced in 2015; SL3 service launched on April 21, 2018, followed by the introduction of commuter rail service in 2021, which replaced the former station located eastward at Bellingham Square.

Station layout

Positioned west of Everett Avenue behind Mystic Mall in Chelsea, the station has two high-level side platforms that serve the dual tracks of the Newburyport/Rockport Line, which runs approximately east–west through this location. Canopies provide shelter over the eastern ends and portions of the platform centers. Access ramps link the platforms to the Everett Avenue grade crossing on their eastern sides and to Third Street on their western sides. The Silver Line busway parallels the south side of the commuter rail tracks and crosses Everett Avenue at street level. West of Everett Avenue, a balloon loop accommodates bus platforms featuring concrete canopies on both flanks. The entire facility is designed for full accessible use by both bus and rail passengers. Additionally, local MBTA bus routes serve stops near Mystic Mall adjacent to this station.

East Everett station

The freight-exclusive Grand Junction Railroad began operations through Everett and Chelsea in 1852, primarily supporting access to the East Boston docks. On April 10, 1854, the Eastern Railroad inaugurated a line connecting Revere to Boston, utilizing trackage rights over the Grand Junction between Chelsea and Somerville. This development supplanted Eastern's former mainline from Revere to East Boston as its principal route into Boston. In 1868, Eastern constructed its own tracks north of the Grand Junction alignment.

The East Everett station was established in 1880 by Eastern Railroad at Boston Street near 2nd Street, approximately west of today's Chelsea station location, serving nearby residential neighborhoods situated southeast of that point. The wooden one-story depot was funded by local landowners at a cost of $1,000 (). Eastern Railroad was absorbed by the Boston and Maine Railroad (B&M) in 1885.

Facing competition from streetcars and automobiles that diminished commuter rail profitability, B&M shuttered the station building in 1932 although some trains continued to call there. The structure was demolished around 1933. By 1946, only a single weekday round trip stopped at East Everett; service ceased entirely by 1952. Remaining local stops south of Lynn were closed in 1958.

The MBTA began subsidizing B&M's operations on this corridor in 1965; this line became known as the Newburyport/Rockport Line. On December 27, 1966, an outbound Budd RDC collided with an oil tanker truck at the nearby 2nd Street grade crossing resulting in thirteen fatalities. The residential area surrounding this location was destroyed during the Great Chelsea fire of 1973, subsequently replaced by industrial facilities and Mystic Mall. After a bridge fire in 1955 rendered much of the Grand Junction tracks through Chelsea unused, CSX Transportation initiated abandonment proceedings for this right-of-way through Chelsea to East Boston in 2002; however, negotiations delayed final disposition as city officials sought acquisition options.

MBTA station

Mystic Mall was originally planned as a stop on the Urban Ring Project, an envisioned circumferential bus rapid transit (BRT) route designed to connect various MBTA rail lines. Early proposals from 2008 featured a dedicated busway along the inactive Grand Junction corridor passing through Everett and Chelsea, with surface-level BRT platforms proposed for Everett and Spruce Streets. The existing Chelsea commuter rail station was slated for reconstruction at its current location. However, the project was discontinued in January 2010 due to budget concerns. Subsequently, in June of that year, MassDOT acquired the Grand Junction right-of-way for prospective transportation developments. Planning efforts shifted toward smaller-scale corridors, prioritizing the Chelsea–South Boston route because of its dense population and limited transit options. A 2011 study explored improvements to Chelsea transit, such as a Silver Line extension or upgrades to bus route , though none of the Silver Line proposals included a stop at Mystic Mall.

In March 2013, the MBTA evaluated options for extending the Silver Line service to Chelsea via a new bypass through East Boston. The study considered three alternatives: one utilizing the abandoned Grand Junction right-of-way with stops at , Highland/Box District, Chelsea station, and Mystic Mall; another branching near Bellingham Square onto local streets; and a third primarily following surface roads serving Central Avenue stops along with a loop connecting Chelsea station and MGH Chelsea near Mystic Mall. By September 2013, the MBTA favored the first option despite challenges related to bridge clearances and station upgrades.

On October 30, 2013, MassDOT announced $82.5 million in state funding for a revised version of this preferred alternative. This plan included constructing a new $20 million Chelsea commuter rail station at the Mystic Mall busway terminus to replace the existing facility, enhancing accessibility with extended platforms designed to prevent blocking nearby grade crossings. Additionally, the Silver Line would introduce a new Bellingham Square stop at the former commuter rail site. Service commencement was anticipated by late 2015. The Environmental Impact Report was released in March 2014. Following approval of a $33.8 million construction contract in September 2014, work began in March 2015. By June 2017, the opening date had been postponed to April 2018. The Silver Line SL3 route officially started service on April 21, 2018.

In February 2019, the MBTA initiated bidding for building the new commuter rail station—including installation of traffic signals and demolition work—with an estimated budget of $26.7 million. A contract worth $32.4 million was awarded in April 2019 aiming for completion by late 2021. Construction kicked off in August 2019 with total expenditures reaching $37.7 million. By April 2020, supports for the outbound platform were finished and platforms were installed that August. As of March 2021, construction had reached approximately 70% completion. The station officially opened on November 15, 2021, replacing the Bellingham Square commuter rail platforms—which continue to serve as a Silver Line stop—and a ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on December 15. Service interruptions on the Newburyport/Rockport Line occurred sporadically between March and September 2022 due to signal upgrade work. From its opening in June 2019 until July 2024, shuttles operated by Encore Boston Harbor casino provided transportation to Chelsea station.

External links

• MBTA – Chelsea Station
• Google Maps Street View: Everett Avenue, 3rd Street