North Quincy station
| Company type | MBTA subway station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | September 1, 1971 |
| Headquarters | Quincy, Massachusetts , United States |
| Products | Subway and bus transit services, park-and-ride facility |
| Website | www |
North Quincy station serves the MBTA subway Red Line and is situated in North Quincy, a neighborhood of Quincy, Massachusetts, just off Hancock Street (Route 3A). It functions as a major park-and-ride hub, providing commuters with more than 1,200 parking spots and full accessibility.
The station opened in 1971 alongside Wollaston and Quincy Center as part of the initial extension of the Red Line into the South Shore area. Unlike the other three Red Line stations in Quincy, North Quincy is unique in that it is not located on a former Old Colony Railroad site; the Old Colony Railroad previously operated nearby stations at Atlantic and Norfolk Downs.
Station layout
North Quincy station has one island platform that serves two tracks for the Red Line. To the west of the station lie two additional tracks used by the Fall River/New Bedford Line, Kingston Line, and Greenbush Line. Parking facilities are positioned on both sides of the rail lines. At the southern end of the platform, a pedestrian bridge provides access to the West Squantum Street busway on the east side, while another footbridge at the northern end connects both sides of the tracks.
Several MBTA bus routes stop at a busway located at the southern (West Squantum Street) entrance to the station.
Old Colony Railroad
The Old Colony Railroad began operating through Quincy in November 1845, establishing multiple local stations shortly thereafter, including Squantum Road by 1848. In 1848, the Old Colony constructed the Gravel Branch from northern Quincy westward to Montclair; however, this branch was abandoned just one year later. By the late 1850s, a station named North Quincy was situated at Atlantic Avenue (now Sagamore Street), which was renamed Atlantic by 1866. The Gravel Branch was reconstructed and extended in 1871 as the Granite Branch, linking to the Granite Railway just south of Atlantic station.
The Old Colony Railroad placed emphasis on ornamental landscaping around its stations; by 1891, Atlantic station featured a lawn with "Atlantic" spelled out in wintercreeper vines. In 1900, new brick station buildings were erected at Atlantic and Quincy, resembling the existing Norwood Central structure. The Atlantic station building was constructed slightly north of its original location.
During the late 1800s, marshlands between North Quincy and Wollaston Heights were developed for residential use. To serve this new neighborhood, Norfolk Downs station was opened in 1892 as an infill stop by Wood, Harmon & Co. Regular train service commenced around April 1892, with a Romanesque Revival-style brick and Longmeadow brownstone station completed later that year. The $10,000 facility included a waiting room measuring 25 by 30 feet finished with quartered oak paneling. It was located on the west side of the tracks south of Broadway (now Holbrook Road), opposite Billings Road. Until 1895, left-hand running dictated that inbound Boston trains were served from this location.
Passenger operations on the Granite Branch ended in 1940. Following World War II, declining ridership caused the New Haven Railroad to discontinue service on Old Colony lines during the late 1950s. Despite temporary subsidies provided during construction of the Southeast Expressway, all passenger service to stations such as Atlantic and Norfolk Downs ceased on June 30, 1959.
Red Line
Plans to extend rapid transit service along the Old Colony mainline date back to before 1959. Earlier studies from 1926 and 1945–47 proposed a branch of the Cambridge-Dorchester Line (which later became known as the Red Line) to run parallel to the Old Colony mainline reaching Braintree, effectively taking over local stop operations. In 1965, the MBTA purchased the Old Colony right-of-way stretching from South Boston to South Braintree. The 1966 Program for Mass Transportation supported this extension, with initial city plans including stations at Atlantic and Norfolk Downs; however, the MBTA opted for a more economical approach by selecting a single station. After reviewing four potential sites, the area near the West Squantum Street bridge was chosen as the station location.
Construction commenced in 1966, leading to the opening of North Quincy station along with Wollaston and Quincy Center on September 1, 1971. Shortly after its inauguration, a west entrance was added to provide access to the neighboring State Street South office complex. On September 27, 1991, the MBTA obtained $32 million in federal funds aimed at upgrading accessibility at North Quincy and constructing a new station at Riverside. These improvements coincided with clearing a two-track railbed west of North Quincy station to facilitate restoration of the Old Colony Lines commuter rail service. The northwest entrance was reconstructed to accommodate new tracks, while the southwest entrance was eliminated. Elevators were installed by 1998, ensuring full accessibility at North Quincy.
Development
An office building along with a private parking garage was constructed on the station’s west side in 1983. Following initial disagreements over eminent domain, the city acquired ownership of the property by purchasing the MBTA’s air rights for one dollar. Plans for a parking garage at North Quincy were ultimately abandoned in October 1997 due to financial challenges.
In February 2016, three developers submitted proposals for mixed-use transit-oriented projects on the Hancock Street parcel, which included plans for a replacement parking garage. By April 2016, the MBTA board approved a 99-year lease agreement with one developer who envisioned a garage containing 1,307 spaces, with 852 spots designated for MBTA use. The Quincy Planning Board later increased this capacity to 1,600 spaces in June 2017. Nonetheless, a local carpenters union requested that a public bidding process be conducted since the MBTA would manage garage operations. In April 2018, Attorney General Maura Healey determined that public bidding was legally required.
Groundbreaking for the $205 million development’s parking garage took place on February 17, 2019. By mid-2020, construction of both the garage and associated residential and commercial structures was largely finished. However, as of May 2024, the portion of the garage reserved for MBTA parking remains closed due to inadequate lighting conditions.