Fenway station
| Company type | Light rail station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | July 4, 1959 |
| Headquarters | Boston , United States |
| Products | MBTA Green Line D branch service |
Fenway station serves as a light rail stop on the MBTA Green Line, specifically on the D branch. It is situated beneath Park Drive adjacent to the Riverway within Boston's Fenway–Kenmore district. The station originally opened under the name Fenway Park on July 4, 1959, coinciding with the transition from Highland branch commuter rail to streetcar service. Full accessible entry is available through the Landmark Center parking area and Miner Street. Although renamed to emphasize the Fenway neighborhood rather than the baseball stadium, it is positioned slightly farther from Fenway Park than Kenmore but continues to experience significant ridership during game days. As of 2011, Fenway was the busiest surface stop along the D branch, averaging 3,488 weekday boardings.
Station layout
Located underneath the Park Drive overpass, the station’s platforms stretch beneath and just westward of this bridge. Access to the inbound platform is provided by stairs leading up to the bridge, while accessible routes connect it to Park Drive via the Landmark Center parking lot and Miner Street. The outbound platform does not have its own direct entrance; instead, passengers reach it by crossing pedestrian paths from the inbound side. Multiple MBTA bus lines serve stops situated on Park Drive above the station.
History
The Boston and Worcester Railroad inaugurated a 1.4-mile branch line from Brookline Junction to Brookline in 1848. This route was extended to Newton Upper Falls in 1852 and subsequently to Needham in 1853 through the Charles River Branch Railroad, maintaining use of the original B&W station. In 1883, the Boston and Albany Railroad regained control of this line, implementing double tracks and linking it with its main line at Riverside; "Newton Circuit" service commenced in 1886. At that time, no station existed at what is now Park Drive; nearby stops included Chapel and later Longwood.
In 1957, Massachusetts authorized acquisition of this branch by the M.T.A. from the struggling New York Central Railroad for conversion into a trolley line. Service ended in May 1958 and resumed as trolley operations on July 4, 1959. All stations existing before 1958 remained operational, although many station buildings were removed; additionally, a new Fenway Park station was established at Park Drive. The station's original name faced criticism due to its greater distance from Fenway Park compared to Kenmore station. By the mid-1970s, the MBTA renamed it Fenway, reflecting its proximity to Fenway Road; some maps continued displaying both names into the 1980s.
Prior to 2006, outbound trips from Fenway were free of fare charges because surface stops did not collect fares, which contributed to its popularity among Red Sox attendees relative to Kenmore. Fare collection was introduced in 2007, leading to a decline in ridership. While Kenmore remains the primary access point for Fenway Park events, Fenway station continues to serve passengers during such occasions.
During the early 2000s, renovations at Fenway included installation of raised platforms as part of MBTA's Light Rail Accessibility Program, completed around 2002. Around 2006, a wooden mini-high platform was added on the inbound side to enable level boarding for older light rail vehicles in compliance with a legal settlement.
Fenway was planned as a stop on the now-cancelled Urban Ring Project—a proposed circumferential bus rapid transit route designed to link MBTA rail lines and alleviate downtown congestion—with intentions for an underground station near Miner Street and Park Drive. However, this initiative was terminated in 2010.
In 2016, MBTA evaluated adding elevators at Fenway but ultimately did not move forward with installation. Due to a lack of crosswalks providing access to southbound bus stops at Fenway—the closest being at Riverway—a $170,000 state grant funded construction of an accessible crosswalk featuring flashing signals in 2021.