Lechmere station

Lechmere station

Company type	Light rail station
Industry	Public transportation
Founded	March 21, 2022 (2022-03-21)
Headquarters	Cambridge, Massachusetts , United States
Products	Green Line light rail service (D branch and E branch)

Lechmere station () serves as a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Green Line light rail stop situated in Lechmere Square, within the East Cambridge, Massachusetts neighborhood. Positioned on the eastern side of Monsignor O'Brien Highway near First Street and adjacent to the NorthPoint development, this accessible elevated facility features a single island platform with entrance structures at both ends. It commenced operations on March 21, 2022, as part of the Green Line Extension (GLX) project and is currently served by the Green Line's D branch and E branch lines.

Transit services in East Cambridge originated with a station on the Boston and Lowell Railroad, which operated until 1927. Around 1861, horse-drawn trams began running via the Craigie Bridge, later electrified during the 1890s. The Lechmere Viaduct, inaugurated in 1912, linked streetcars from Cambridge Street and Bridge Street directly to the Tremont Street subway.

In 1922, the Boston Elevated Railway introduced a prepayment transfer facility at Lechmere that separated surface streetcar operations from subway lines. This surface-level station incorporated a loop track for subway cars with cross-platform transfer capabilities and contained a small yard within its perimeter. Over time, surface streetcars were phased out in favor of trolleybuses and subsequently diesel buses between the 1930s and 1960s, while subway routes evolved into what is now known as the Green Line starting in 1965.

For approximately one hundred years, Lechmere functioned as the northern endpoint for subway service. Although plans for northwestward extensions emerged as early as the 1920s, concrete planning efforts did not materialize until the early 2000s. Initially connected with the NorthPoint development, a new elevated Lechmere station was incorporated into GLX plans by 2007. The MBTA pledged in 2012 to complete the station by 2017 and awarded a construction contract in 2013. Nevertheless, budget overruns led to a comprehensive reassessment of the GLX project in 2015. A reduced-scope design was unveiled in 2016, followed by final design and construction contracts awarded in 2017. The original surface station ceased operations on May 24, 2020, to allow for GLX construction; however, bus transfer facilities remained active to connect MBTA bus routes with Lechmere shuttle buses until the new station opened.

Station design

Lechmere station is located on the eastern flank of O'Brien Highway at Lechmere Square, adjacent to the North Point area. The Green Line's two-track viaduct traverses the site along a southeast–northwest axis. The station includes a single curved island platform, measuring long and wide, extending across the block between East Street and North First Street.

The platform height stands at , facilitating accessible boarding for existing light rail vehicles (LRVs), with provisions to raise it to for level boarding compatible with Type 9 and forthcoming Type 10 LRVs. Unlike other GLX stations that have platforms designed for future extensions at shorter lengths, Lechmere's platform was constructed at full length due to anticipated difficulties in extending beyond this point. A canopy spanning the entire platform covers it; this canopy consists of two spans wide, contrasting with the narrower single-span canopies found at other GLX stations.

Entrance structures are located north of North First Street and south of East Street. The northern headhouse contains two elevators along with stair access; meanwhile, the southern headhouse includes one elevator and stairs. Nearby Water Street hosts a bus loop servicing several MBTA bus routes close to the northern entrance. Positioned between these headhouses is a bicycle facility accommodating up to 182 bikes indoors, supplemented by racks for an additional 72 bicycles adjacent to the northern headhouse. Public art installations include Field Notes by Randall Thurston—decorative panels on elevator shafts depicting birds and vines—and station signage featuring poetry layered over bird imagery, historical photographs, and interpretive narratives.

East Cambridge station

The Boston and Lowell Railroad (B&L) commenced operations between Boston and Lowell in 1835, initially focusing on express passenger services before incorporating local stops. Among its early stations was East Cambridge, situated near the Prison Point Bridge by 1846. By 1865, this station was relocated northward to Third Street, positioning it closer to the industrial district of East Cambridge. It served numerous daily travelers, including prominent individuals such as Benjamin Butler. The inauguration of the Lexington Branch in 1870, which utilized the B&L tracks east of Somerville Junction, enhanced service frequency to stations like East Cambridge. Additionally, the Central Massachusetts Railroad began using this corridor in 1881, with the B&L line serving as its access point into Boston. The Fitchburg Railroad also operated an East Cambridge stop near Linwood Street during the mid-19th century.

Following its acquisition of the B&L in 1887, the Boston and Maine Railroad (B&M) launched an extensive expansion project in 1926 aimed at enlarging North Station and its associated freight facilities. This plan involved abandoning East Cambridge station to reroute the former B&L line directly into North Station. Despite resistance from local factory workers and courthouse visitors dependent on East Cambridge station, the Public Utilities Commission authorized the closure of both East Cambridge and nearby Prospect Hill stations in March 1927. These stations ceased operations by May 17, 1927, coinciding with trains transitioning to the new alignment. The original rail corridor continued to serve freight traffic for many years afterward, with portions of the embankment constructed between 1855 and 1868 still observable near where the station once stood.

Early streetcar service

In 1860, the Cambridge Railroad obtained authorization to operate horse-drawn tram lines across the Craigie Bridge, connecting East Cambridge with Boston. Service initiated around 1861 from Harvard Square along Cambridge Street to Lechmere Square, extending over the bridge into Boston by 1862. By 1864, a route was established from Union Square in Somerville via Somerville Avenue and Bridge Street to Lechmere Square, facilitating through service from Elm Street (present-day Davis Square) to Boston. The Cambridge Street line transitioned to electric streetcar operation under West End Street Railway in 1891; meanwhile, the Somerville Avenue route and an 1888 extension to Davis Square via Highland Avenue were electrified and extended to Clarendon Hill by 1895.

The West End was leased by the Boston Elevated Railway (BERy) in 1897. Starting September 3, 1898, three streetcar lines serving Lechmere Square began utilizing the Tremont Street subway through the Canal Street incline. However, trips crossing from Lechmere Point over the bridge were slow and contributed to congestion within the subway system. To address this, construction commenced in 1907 on the Lechmere Viaduct and Causeway Street Elevated, creating a more direct subway connection. Although BERy considered adding a station at Lechmere Square in 1911, it ultimately decided against it. The viaduct opened on June 1, 1912, although some local routes continued using the Charles River Dam Bridge. The north incline of the viaduct linking surface streetcar tracks occupied approximately half a city block between Lechmere Square and Second Street.

Lechmere station

Although the Lechmere Viaduct and Causeway Street Elevated reduced travel durations between Lechmere and North Station, they quickly became insufficient to meet BERy’s expanding ridership. Unlike the Commonwealth Avenue, Beacon Street, and Huntington Avenue routes, the Cambridge Street and Bridge Street lines lacked exclusive medians, resulting in automobile congestion that interfered with subway operations. Consequently, increased subway capacity was required beyond what the smaller streetcars could accommodate.

In 1917, transit expert John A. Beeler advised transforming the Tremont Street Subway into a third rail rapid transit system, with surface routes terminating at designated transfer hubs. He identified Lechmere Square as the ideal northern transfer location, featuring elevated rapid transit platforms alongside streetcar loops.

By September 1921, BERy requested authorization from the Massachusetts Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to construct transfer stations at Lechmere Square and Braves Field (which was later moved to Linden Street but never realized due to public opposition). The Lechmere proposal included acquiring land through eminent domain. The city of Cambridge opposed elements of the design, particularly a loop track on Third Street. Despite municipal resistance and legal disputes, the PUC granted approval in November 1921, and the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court affirmed BERy’s authority to proceed with track construction in May 1922 as terminal development continued.

The station occupied a triangular parcel bordered by Cambridge Street, Bridge Street, and Second Street. It incorporated a balloon loop for subway trains—still operating streetcar-style cars—with cross-platform transfers facilitating passenger movement between streetcars and subway trains. Terminating streetcars utilized tracks branching off Cambridge Street with sheltered platforms; others circled beneath the viaduct at Lechmere Square to board passengers on Bridge Street. Harvard-bound streetcars traveled on a single track via Gore and Third Streets, while Somerville-bound cars used the same Third Street track to reach Lechmere. Additional loops and storage tracks were situated inside the primary subway loop. Unlike Boston’s municipally funded subway segments constructed by contractors, Lechmere station was entirely financed and built by BERy at an expense of $100,000 ().

Lechmere station commenced operations on July 10, 1922. It was expected to handle 24,000 passengers daily each direction and increase seated subway capacity by 8,754 riders per day. Initial service operated as a shuttle to Pleasant Street, intended as a temporary western terminus. During peak hours, trains ran every three minutes with three-car sets; off-peak intervals were four minutes with two-car sets. Some passengers expressed dissatisfaction over having to transfer instead of enjoying direct service to downtown.

Service alterations and infrastructure updates

Beginning January 2, 1923, select off-peak trips were extended through the Boylston Street Subway to reach the surface platform at ; full-day service commenced on October 10 of the same year. By December 14, 1929, the majority of trips were lengthened along the Beacon Street line to . In June 1930, Washington Street service was truncated to Kenmore but resumed operations in September. On February 7, 1931, all standard Commonwealth Avenue and Beacon Street services were extended from Park Street to Lechmere, replacing previous shuttle operations with Kenmore–Park Street shuttles.

In 1923, the BERy constructed a brick and steel canopy covering the northbound surface tracks. A prepayment entry was introduced on October 18, 1924, enabling streetcar riders to wait inside the station rather than at the following stop. The last streetcars utilizing the Charles River Dam operated as night cars until they were rerouted onto the viaduct on July 26, 1924. Bridge Street was expanded into the Northern Artery in 1928; at Lechmere Square, it was redirected northward to circumvent the streetcar shelter. A siding adjacent to the station was preserved for storing additional streetcars during events at the newly opened Boston Garden.

Bus service commenced at Lechmere on May 9, 1932, initially running to Lafayette Square, supplemented by a short-turn route during peak periods. The outbound surface track formerly used by Cambridge Street cars was reconstructed with concrete paving tailored for bus traffic. On July 9, 1932, a Lechmere–Arlington Center bus route was introduced. The Central Square route and its short-turn variant were discontinued on October 14, 1933; by this time, one surface car track had been removed and the Cambridge Street side of Lechmere station paved over.

Conversion of the Harvard–Lechmere streetcar line to trackless trolley (trolleybus) occurred on April 11, 1936—marking the beginning of a broader system rollout. Cambridge Street tracks remained in place for non-revenue purposes as Commonwealth Avenue streetcars were stored at Bennett Street Carhouse. In 1937, part of the inbound shelter was enclosed with brickwork to serve as a waiting area. Remaining Charles River Dam tracks were dismantled in the late 1930s. Commonwealth Avenue line streetcars shifted to Reservoir Carhouse in May 1940; Cambridge Street tracks were subsequently abandoned. While most overnight streetcar storage at Lechmere ceased then, it resumed between September 1942 and late 1953.

During 1940–41, BERy introduced public route numbers: Harvard–Lechmere became route 69; Arlington Center–Lechmere designated as route 80; Clarendon Hill–Lechmere assigned routes and via distinct streets. On September 3, 1941, paving around remaining surface car tracks facilitated conversion of routes 87 and 88 to trackless trolley by November. Surface tracks at Lechmere were largely abandoned except for loop and yard tracks serving subway operations. A parking facility with a capacity of 325 vehicles opened south of Cambridge Street in April 1941 and expanded to accommodate 358 spaces by 1950.

The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) succeeded BERy in 1947. Although favoring buses over trolleybuses, MTA converted bus route 80 to trackless trolley service in September 1953. Parking fees were implemented at Lechmere and other stations starting November that year. Midday service to Lechmere was replaced by a –Lechmere shuttle on November 3, 1961; concurrently, Commonwealth Avenue and Beacon Street lines were shortened while the shuttle operated. The Riverside Line extension from Park Street to Lechmere began service on November 25, eliminating the shuttle and truncating other lines.

On May 25, 1962, MTA discontinued non-revenue tracks linking Canal Street Inline with Everett Shops and Charlestown Neck Carhouse; a ramp inside Lechmere Yard facilitated loading streetcars onto trucks for transfer to Everett. Routes 69, 80, 87, and 88 transitioned from trackless trolley to diesel bus operation on March 31, 1963. Early in 1964, paving of the northern section of the yard allowed buses on routes 80, 87, and 88 direct access to the inbound busway from Bridge Street, removing previous detours via Third and Cambridge streets.

MBTA era

In August 1964, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) succeeded the MTA. By August 26, 1965, the MBTA introduced color-coded names for its rapid transit routes, assigning the streetcar lines operating through the Tremont Street Subway as the Green Line. In 1967, the western branches were designated with letters A through E: Commonwealth Avenue was labeled the B branch, Beacon Street became the C branch, and Riverside was identified as the D branch. Following the 1964 inauguration of a loop at , which created four downtown terminals for Green Line branches, the MBTA frequently modified line routings to better align with passenger flows and operational requirements. On March 25, 1967, the C branch was extended to Lechmere, joining the D branch there. Later, on March 25, 1974, service on the B branch was lengthened back to Lechmere while the D branch was truncated to North Station; for the next ten years, B, C, and D branches alternated between Lechmere and other terminal points.

The practice of routing inbound buses through Lechmere Yard ceased in the late 1970s, coinciding with the deployment of larger Boeing LRVs on the Green Line. Around 1980, a new parking facility opened north of Bridge Street to facilitate redevelopment of the previous lot. Beginning January 2, 1983, Huntington Avenue trains (the E branch) started serving Lechmere during peak and midday hours by extending from Park Street; simultaneously, D branch trains were cut back to Government Center during these times. After snow forced a suspension of E branch service on February 11, 1983, a shuttle operated between Government Center and Lechmere alongside limited D branch service.

On January 20, 1984, a fire damaged wooden approach trestles leading to the North Station drawbridges, necessitating a temporary terminal just north of these bridges for Fitchburg and Lowell Lines. Passengers were transported by bus between this temporary terminal and Lechmere station with inbound fares waived. During this interval, all peak Lechmere services ran as shuttles between Government Center and Lechmere. North Station reopened on April 20, 1985, with Green Line operations remaining unchanged.

From December 1984 onward, revenue vehicles were stored in Lechmere Yard; to accommodate additional storage tracks, the ramp was removed in the late 1980s. Between December 28, 1985, and July 25, 1986, extra shuttle service operated between Lechmere and Kenmore—the first direct peak connection between these locations since January 1984. Most E branch trains resumed service to Lechmere on July 26, 1986; remaining shuttles were replaced by D branch extensions to Lechmere on June 21, 1997. Around the year 2000, temporary accessibility features including portable wheelchair lifts and a wooden mini-high platform were installed at Lechmere.

Service linking Lechmere and North Station was suspended on June 25, 2004, to allow removal of the Causeway Street Elevated and consolidation of North Station platforms into a new underground "superstation." During this closure, a shuttle bus operated between Government Center and Lechmere using modified busways at Lechmere designed to handle increased shuttle traffic. The Green Line E branch service was reinstated on November 12, 2005, restoring prior bus routes.

Between April 30 and November 4, 2011, buses replaced rail service beyond North Station during reconstruction at Science Park. Bus routing replicated that of the 2004–05 closure; however, after reopening buses utilized only the outbound busway—a configuration that offered improved safety but reduced convenience for inbound riders.

Initial Concepts

Just weeks prior to the Lechmere station inauguration in June 1922, the BERy proposed three new radial subway lines, one extending northwest from Lechmere through Somerville and South Medford. By 1924, the agency recognized that Lechmere was "unsuitable as a permanent transfer station" and suggested extending service to a larger hub. The 1926 Report on Improved Transportation Facilities recommended transforming the Tremont Street subway into rapid transit corridors and prioritized an extension from Lechmere to North Cambridge, following existing rail lines through Somerville Junction and the Fitchburg Cutoff. During the 1930s, alternative plans surfaced, including subway extensions originating from Haymarket or Bowdoin to replace the Lechmere Viaduct.

In 1943, a state commission chaired by Arthur W. Coolidge outlined nine suburban rapid transit expansions largely reflecting the 1926 proposals along established railroads. The envisioned Lechmere–Woburn extension involved an elevated structure north of Lechmere. The 1962 North Terminal Area Study advocated for abandoning the elevated segment between Lechmere and North Station, rerouting the Orange Line along the B&M Western Route with branches serving Woburn or Arlington. A planned weekend shutdown of Lechmere in 1962 was canceled following legislative opposition.

The 1966 Program for Mass Transportation emphasized a roughly one-mile extension from Lechmere to Washington Street, with a subsequent phase targeting Mystic Valley Parkway or West Medford. Extensions beyond Lechmere were deprioritized during the 1970s and early 1980s after the Red Line Northwest Extension introduced Davis station in 1984. Plans from 1978 proposed a new elevated station east of O'Brien Highway featuring a 200-foot deck with a busway loop to facilitate cross-platform transfers.

By 1980, MBTA's Green Line Northwest Corridor study focused on replacing the Causeway Street elevated structure, upgrading Lechmere station, and extending service further. Evaluation reports from 1981 and 1984 supported extensions to Tufts and Union Square (Green Line D branch), alongside a busway alternative. Later in that decade, concepts emerged for a new elevated Lechmere station with adjacent storage and maintenance facilities; however, financial limitations stalled development.

Development Planning

In 1991, as part of a settlement resolving Central Artery/Tunnel Project emission lawsuits, the state committed to transit improvements including a "Green Line Extension To Ball Square/Tufts University," with a target completion date of 2011. In 1999, Guilford Transportation Industries (GTI) proposed redeveloping approximately 50 acres near Lechmere Square and agreed with MBTA to construct a new Lechmere station and maintenance facility in exchange for redevelopment rights. This arrangement met opposition from Cambridge officials and residents concerned about pedestrian accessibility.

Following a 2005 lawsuit filed by Somerville and the Conservation Law Foundation, the state accelerated Green Line Extension (GLX) planning efforts by incorporating a branch from Lechmere to Union Square. By 2006, the NorthPoint development included plans for a $70 million elevated Lechmere station scheduled to open in 2010, featuring office air rights above; however, disputes among partners caused development delays in 2007. Subsequently, the state took over responsibility for station planning within GLX.

Lechmere was also incorporated into the proposed Urban Ring bus rapid transit project aimed at linking MBTA lines and reducing downtown congestion; draft designs in 2008 located platforms near Water Street beneath the relocated Green Line station. The Urban Ring project was ultimately canceled in 2010.

The 2009 draft environmental impact report (DEIR) maintained the prior station location and canopy design but removed the overhead building. It included a primary headhouse north of First Street and introduced a one-way southbound busway while replacing existing parking with two lots. The final report in 2010 updated these plans with a redesigned headhouse, shortened platform length from 450 to 225 feet, reduced parking spaces, and a busway loop accessible from Water Street.

MassDOT postponed project timelines in July 2010, pushing completion to October 2015. Later that year, MBTA negotiated an agreement with Pan Am Railways and NorthPoint developers exchanging property rights for the new Lechmere station site; this deal also granted MBTA trackage rights on the Worcester Branch and into New Hampshire. By mid-2011, design revisions simplified canopy structures and incorporated wind shields. Another delay shifted expected service commencement between late 2018 and 2020.

In August 2012, Somerville, MassDOT, and MBTA concurred on opening both Union Square Branch and Lechmere station by early 2017 with construction beginning in 2014. In September 2013, MassDOT awarded a $393 million contract for Phase 2/2A construction encompassing Lechmere station, Union Square Branch, and part of the Medford Branch—with stations slated to open early in 2017. Updates from June 2013 restored platform length to 450 feet, added a second headhouse south of East Street, and relocated parking northward to facilitate adjacent development. Station design reached completion by late 2014.

Redesign

In August 2015, the MBTA disclosed that expenses for Phase 2A had escalated from $387 million to $898 million, triggering a comprehensive reassessment of the Green Line Extension (GLX) initiative. By December of that year, the MBTA ended contracts with four companies and paused awarding new contracts, although ongoing construction activities continued. Considerations included project cancellation and cost-reduction strategies, such as removing the Union Square Branch.

In May 2016, boards of MassDOT and the MBTA approved a value-engineered, downsized version of the GLX to curb costs. The stations were redesigned to resemble surface stops on the Green Line D branch, eliminating features like canopies, faregates, escalators, and certain elevators. Lechmere station maintained redundant elevators due to its elevated platform but lost its escalators; its canopy was substituted with simpler bus-stop-style shelters.

By December 2016, the MBTA established a revised opening target of 2021. A design-build contract was awarded in November 2017 that included six optional add-ons to reinstate elements removed during value engineering—such as full-length station canopies and a second elevator at Lechmere’s north entrance. Station design advanced from 10% completion in March 2018 to full design by October 2019. The finalized plans incorporated an additional entrance at Lechmere providing direct access from the busway and North First Street. Platforms were set at a length of 355 feet without any parking facilities.

Construction and opening

Initial GLX construction involved demolishing an unused MBTA building at 21 Water Street to make way for the new Lechmere station. Barletta Heavy Division received notice to proceed on January 31, 2013, with work commencing in March. The building at 21 Water Street was razed by August 2014. The Lechmere parking lot with 369 spaces closed on June 22, 2017, to facilitate construction preparations.

The main phase groundbreaking occurred on June 25, 2018, with substantial construction beginning by mid-2019. Work at Lechmere started by September 2019; concrete columns for the viaduct were poured later that year, followed by beam placement for tracks and platforms starting January 2020 and completing in April.

Replacing the aging elevated structure with a new viaduct necessitated a temporary suspension of service. Operations at the old station ended on May 23, 2020, after which demolition commenced immediately. A shuttle bus service between Lechmere and North Station—with dedicated lanes—began May 24, 2020. Service restoration was initially projected for April 2021. The former yard was converted into employee parking.

By August 2020, station construction had progressed significantly; partial headhouse shells were erected and platform concrete poured. Elevator towers for the north headhouse went up in October 2020, followed by those on the south side in November. Steel framing for canopies, elevator shaft art installations, and a signal house were completed by April 2021. By June, the bus loop and plaza neared completion along with canopy roofing installation. Train testing between Lechmere and Union Square started in December 2021.

Although initially planned for an October 2021 opening, the station launch was postponed first to December 2021 and then to March 2022. On February 24, 2022, MBTA announced that Lechmere and the Union Square Branch would begin service on March 21, with the Medford Branch scheduled for late summer. Initial service to Union Square operated via the Green Line E branch. In August 2022, the Medford Branch opening was deferred until November. A Green Line shutdown from August 22 to September 18 allowed final integration of the Medford Branch and removal of speed limits on the Lechmere Viaduct. Subsequently, the D branch extended service to Union Square replacing the E branch operation there. Medford Branch service commenced on December 12, 2022.

External links

• Official MBTA page for Lechmere