Nubian station
| Company type | MBTA bus station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | 1901 |
| Headquarters | Boston , United States |
Area served | Roxbury, Boston, Massachusetts |
| Products | Bus rapid transit, local bus services |
Nubian station—previously known as Dudley Square, Dudley, or Dudley Street Terminal—is a street-level Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) bus station situated in Nubian Square (formerly Dudley Square), located in Roxbury, Boston, Massachusetts. This station functions as a crucial interchange hub for various MBTA bus lines, including two Silver Line bus rapid transit corridors alongside multiple local bus services. Nubian station offers full accessible features for passengers.
The station initially opened in 1901 as part of the BERy Main Line Elevated, specifically on the Washington Street Elevated segment. This portion, encompassing Dudley, was closed in 1987. Six years afterward, the facility was redesigned to accommodate bus transit, with Silver Line service commencing in 2002. The current name, Nubian station, was adopted in June 2020 following the renaming of the square in 2019.
Nubian station is included within the boundaries of the Dudley Station Historic District, which has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1985.
Original station
The Boston Elevated Railway inaugurated its Main Line Elevated on June 10, 1901. This route extended from Sullivan Square through the Tremont Street subway and along the Washington Street Elevated to its southern endpoint at Dudley Square. The Dudley Street Terminal was designed by architect Alexander Wadsworth Longfellow Jr., featuring a waiting area clad in copper with Beaux Arts styling and an arched interior framework.
The design of Dudley prioritized seamless transfers between elevated trains and streetcars. Several streetcar lines that formerly terminated downtown were shortened to end at Dudley, where two elevated loops allowed for cross-platform transfers to Main Line trains on either side of the northbound track. Additional crosstown streetcar routes served street-level platforms beneath the elevated structure. On December 2, 1905, through service began between Dudley and Quincy via the Old Colony Street Railway.
Modifications and decline
On November 22, 1909, the Washington Street Elevated was extended southward to reach Forest Hills. The existing downtown return loop at Dudley remained to support short-turn train operations, and a new platform serving southbound trains was constructed. In 1910, the elevated streetcar loops were enlarged and covered to better handle increasing passenger volumes. Due to overcrowding issues, a new transfer point for streetcars was established at Egleston in 1917, redirecting some routes away from Dudley.
During the transition from streetcars to buses in the 1940s and 1950s, Dudley's platforms were modified to serve buses and trackless trolleys. The east loop underwent reconstruction over six months to accommodate trolleybus service, reopening on December 25, 1948. The Main Line Elevated was rebranded as the Orange Line in 1967.
Between 1979 and 1987, redevelopment of the Southwest Corridor replaced a four-track embankment with a trench containing two Orange Line tracks alongside three commuter rail tracks. Service on the Elevated ended on April 30, 1987; the Orange Line resumed operations at its relocated alignment on May 4, 1987.
Contemporary utilization
Following the dismantling of the Elevated, Dudley Square continued to function as a significant bus transfer point. The original Elevated station structure was repurposed into a bus terminal by lowering it to street level and relocating it slightly southward. This building accommodates north–south platforms labeled A, B, and C, while newly constructed shelters serve the east–west platforms D, E, and F. Completed toward the end of 1993, the facility handled upwards of 10,000 passengers daily and supported over 100 buses per hour during peak periods.
After the Elevated line was removed, the MBTA initially committed to introducing light rail service along this corridor. However, after a decade and a half of evolving plans, the Silver Line’s Washington Street branch—a bus rapid transit system—began operations on July 20, 2002. This service connected Dudley to Downtown Crossing, replacing the former route 49 bus with increased frequency and rapid transit features. On October 13, 2009, this route was redesignated as SL5; concurrently, a new SL4 line was launched between Dudley and South Station, sharing much of the SL5 pathway.
When Dudley Square was renamed Nubian Square in December 2019, local leaders pushed for the transit station's name to reflect this change. The MBTA approved this request in February 2020, officially adopting the Nubian Square name for the station in June 2020.
Planned developments
Dudley Square was identified as a potential stop on the Urban Ring Project—an envisioned circumferential bus rapid transit route designed to connect radial MBTA rail lines and reduce congestion in downtown Boston. Preliminary designs from 2008 included a spur along Washington Street that would utilize existing Silver Line platforms at Dudley. However, the Urban Ring initiative was ultimately discontinued in 2010.
The closure of the Washington Street Elevated in 1987 led to a 2012 study on transit needs for Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan neighborhoods. One recommendation involved reinstating rail service by repurposing the Pleasant Street tunnel from Boylston station on the Green Line to extend light rail service to Nubian Square and further south. Proposed routes could run from Nubian Square down to Mattapan station with a northern endpoint at Government Center.
As part of its FY23–27 Capital Investment Plan, the MBTA intends to modify platform arrangements and reverse bus circulation patterns within Nubian Square station to improve operational efficiency.