Chestnut Hill Avenue station
| Company type | Light rail stop |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Headquarters | Boston , United States |
Area served | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Products | MBTA Green Line B branch service |
Chestnut Hill Avenue station serves as a surface-level light rail stop on the MBTA Green Line B branch. It is situated within the median of Commonwealth Avenue, just to the east of Chestnut Hill Avenue, in Boston's Brighton neighborhood. The station consists of two low platforms positioned on either side of the B branch’s dual tracks and currently lacks accessible features.
To the west of this stop, a wye junction links the B branch to non-revenue tracks running along Chestnut Hill Avenue, which provide access to the Reservoir Carhouse at Cleveland Circle. These auxiliary tracks are used for delivering vehicles to the B branch prior to peak service hours, compensating for limited storage capacity at Boston College. Notably, the wye segment connecting the westbound B branch to these non-revenue tracks has been decommissioned and covered with pavement.
History
On May 14, 2008, an outbound Green Line train derailed near Chestnut Hill Avenue station, colliding with a utility pole that caused overhead wires to fall and ignited a fire. Although no injuries were reported, the train sustained significant damage.
Between 2018 and 2019, track maintenance included replacing platform edges, which initiated requirements for accessibility improvements. By December 2022, design work for upgrades at Chestnut Hill Avenue and four other stops on the B Branch had reached approximately 30% completion. In March 2024, a design proposal suggested merging Chestnut Hill Avenue with South Street station into a single facility located between Chestnut Hill Driveway and Chestnut Hill Avenue.
In May 2024, the Federal Transit Administration granted $67 million to the MBTA to fund accessible platform construction at fourteen stops across the B and C branches, encompassing the proposed combined Chestnut Hill Avenue/South Street station. Additional stations were incorporated into this initiative later in 2024. As of February 2025, the MBTA intends to issue a $74 million design-build contract for bidding in May 2025, with construction anticipated to commence in fall 2025 and continue until mid-2027.