Maverick station
| Company type | Rapid transit station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | 1904-12-30 |
| Headquarters | Boston, Massachusetts , United States |
| Products | Rapid transit services (Blue Line) |
Maverick station, also referred to as Maverick Square, is a rapid transit facility located in Boston, Massachusetts. It serves the MBTA's Blue Line at the Maverick Square area within East Boston. Positioned as the easternmost subterranean stop on the Blue Line, it acts as a crucial hub for transferring among various bus lines. The station is equipped with a central island platform accessible from Maverick Square and includes a track map that displays train locations between Bowdoin and Orient Heights. Maverick was one of the final stations to be upgraded to accommodate six-car trains during the MBTA’s Blue Line Renovation Project. Additionally, it serves as a terminus for multiple MBTA bus routes.
History
At its inception on December 30, 1904, the East Boston Tunnel functioned as a streetcar tunnel featuring an exit point at Maverick, known as the Maverick portal or Maverick incline, but lacked an actual station. Streetcars would leave this portal to proceed along Meridian or Maverick Streets.
Between April 18 and 21, 1924, the tunnel transitioned to rapid transit operations, with Maverick station opening concurrently. A streetcar loop was constructed between the rapid transit platforms during this time. Service on the last streetcar routes utilizing this loop ceased on January 4, 1952, shortly before the Revere Extension was inaugurated. Following this, both the streetcar loop and portal were closed; portions of the incline were repurposed for pedestrian use. The station’s notably wide platform is a result of filling in former streetcar tracks, while remnants of the disused streetcar loop located west of the station remain visible.
Design efforts for a comprehensive renovation commenced in 1998. In May 2005, a $30.8 million contract was awarded covering construction work that included ventilation enhancements within the East Boston Tunnel. Groundbreaking took place on October 4, 2005. The renovation encompassed lengthening platforms to support six-car trains, replacing the headhouse at Maverick Square, constructing a new headhouse on Lewis Mall, and establishing a dedicated busway in Maverick Square. Both headhouses were outfitted with elevators to meet full accessible standards. The Lewis Mall headhouse opened its doors on September 22, 2007; subsequently, the original headhouse was demolished in November of that year. The entire project concluded by 2009 with a total cost of $56.3 million, which included $12.4 million in change orders—$8.9 million of which resulted from MBTA design mistakes.
Future city development plans involve redesigning Maverick Square to incorporate exclusive bus lanes aimed at enhancing transit efficiency and connectivity.
External links
- MBTA – Maverick
- Google Maps Street View: Maverick Square headhouse, Lewis Mall headhouse