Quincy Center station

Quincy Center station
Company type	Transit station
Industry	Public transportation
Founded	1971
Headquarters	Quincy, Massachusetts, United States
Products	Rapid transit (Red Line), Commuter rail (Fall River/New Bedford Line, Greenbush Line, Kingston Line), Bus services

Quincy Center station operates as a key Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) intermodal transit facility situated in Quincy, Massachusetts. It accommodates the rapid transit Red Line alongside the Fall River/New Bedford Line, Greenbush Line, and Kingston Line of the MBTA Commuter Rail. Serving as the main MBTA bus hub for the South Shore area, it handles substantial commuter volumes. Positioned between Hancock Street and Burgin Parkway within Quincy Center, this station commenced operations in 1971. Previously, it included a sizable parking structure that was closed in 2012 due to safety concerns and subsequently dismantled. The station offers full accessible features for all transit services.

Station layout

The station comprises a single island platform that serves two Red Line tracks, complemented by one side platform dedicated to the commuter rail track located on the western side.

As the central terminal for numerous MBTA bus routes serving Quincy and surrounding communities, it utilizes a special busway situated on the Hancock Street side. Current redevelopment initiatives plan to shift this busway to the Burgin Parkway side of the station.

Old Colony Railroad

The main line of the Old Colony Railroad, extending from South Boston to Plymouth, was inaugurated on November 10, 1845. The initial Quincy station stood at Quincy Square behind the town hall but was replaced by late 1868. In 1900, new brick station buildings resembling those at Norwood Central were constructed at both Quincy and Atlantic stations to serve two tracks. Service on Old Colony routes, operated by the New Haven Railroad since 1893, ceased on June 30, 1959. The Quincy depot was eventually demolished.

Red Line

Proposals from 1926 and again during 1945–47 advocated extending the Cambridge–Dorchester line (later known as the Red Line) down to Braintree using the Old Colony corridor. Construction kicked off in May 1966 with an objective to finalize the South Shore branch by May 1969. However, disputes regarding station placements led to service initially terminating at Quincy Center.

Stations including , , and Quincy Center officially opened on September 1, 1971. Unlike other stops featuring expansive surface parking lots, Quincy Center incorporated a five-level parking garage built above the tracks and platform, providing 700 spaces for Red Line commuters and an additional 200 for local shoppers. Designed by Samuel Glaser Associates and constructed by J.F. White Contracting Co., this $5.877 million facility was located one block north of the original Old Colony station site. Station signage featured historical interpretive panels—a concept that was later implemented at other MBTA stations. At first, passengers paid a double fare upon entry with an exit fare required when leaving; this fare method was briefly applied during the Haymarket North Extension as well.

Throughout much of the early twentieth century, Quincy was served by various Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway streetcar and bus lines providing local connections and longer-distance service to Providence, Rhode Island. Following legal disputes, these lines were acquired by the MBTA on March 30, 1968. Upon opening Quincy Center in 1971, most Fields Corner routes were truncated to terminate at this new hub.

Construction resumed in 1977 to extend service further south to Braintree, which opened on March 22, 1980. At that time, exit fares were removed north of Quincy Center; however, double fares continued at Braintree and Quincy Adams stations until they were discontinued in 2007.

Commuter Rail

The MBTA initiated plans to renovate the parking garage in 1987. By 1991, the installation of two elevators marked the station's first achievement of full accessibility.

Restoration efforts for segments of the former Old Colony rail network commenced in 1990, which included laying a single commuter rail track and constructing a full-length, high-level side platform on the station's west side. Commuter service began on the Middleborough/Lakeville Line and Plymouth/Kingston Line on September 29, 1997. Later, the Greenbush Line started operations on October 31, 2007, with certain trains making stops at Quincy Center.

During the 2013 and 2014 seasons, seasonal CapeFLYER trains served Quincy Center but were discontinued in 2015 due to adjustments in scheduling. In January 2018, Quincy Center was moved from Zone 1 to Zone 1A, enabling fares equivalent to subway pricing for trips to South Station as compensation for the temporary closure of Wollaston station. This fare structure remained in place after Wollaston reopened in 2019 because of constrained parking availability at North Quincy station during its garage reconstruction. On July 1, 2021, Quincy Center returned to Zone 1 status following the completion of North Quincy's garage project.

Garage closure and replacement

The Quincy Center parking garage was shut down indefinitely on July 4, 2012, after structural deficiencies were identified. Constructed between 1970 and 1971, it was the MBTA system’s oldest parking structure before demolition commenced. Despite this closure, Red Line trains, MBTA Commuter Rail services, and bus operations continued uninterrupted; however, the Burgin Parkway entrance lost its accessible features for disabled passengers.

In March 2016, city officials revealed initial designs for a replacement facility supported by a $970,000 federal grant. The plan featured three separate buildings: a new parking garage matching the original capacity; a "justice center" intended to house a new Quincy District Court; and an office building designated for the National Park Service along with its shuttle service to Adams National Historical Park. The proposed garage was designed to include retail spaces at street level. Bus platforms were planned to be relocated to Burgin Parkway with an overhead canopy added, while the kiss-and-ride drop-off lane was set to stay on Hancock Street. The overall $52 million project sought funding from $10 million in state allocations approved in 2014, $20 million in federal grants, and $22 million from a private partner responsible for long-term operations. No municipal funds were designated.

During July and August of 2016, structural bracing was installed within the closed garage to ensure stability throughout ongoing design phases. In September that year, the USDOT awarded $4.2 million specifically for station planning activities. However, by October, Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch announced that plans for the courthouse were abandoned due to local opposition and insufficient state financial backing; nonetheless, planning efforts for the station improvements and office building proceeded.

The MBTA outlined a $25 million initiative scheduled from July 2017 through December 2018 to demolish the existing garage, install a new elevator, and create an accessible entrance on Burgin Parkway with provisions for future air rights development above. On June 19, 2017, a $67.867 million contract was approved encompassing this work alongside renovations at Wollaston station.

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