Riverside station (MBTA)

Riverside station
Company type	Light rail station
Industry	Public transportation
Founded	1959; 67 years ago
Headquarters	Newton, Massachusetts, United States
Area served	Greater Boston area
Products	Light rail transit, bus terminal services, park and ride
Website	www.mbta.com/stops/place-riverside

Riverside station operates as a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Green Line light rail stop situated in the Auburndale neighborhood of Newton, Massachusetts. It marks the western endpoint of the Green Line D branch and serves as a significant regional park and ride facility located near the junction of Interstate 95 (Route 128) and the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90). Adjacent to this station lies Riverside Yard, which functions as the principal maintenance and storage site for the Green Line fleet. The station is fully compliant with accessible standards.

History

The route passing through Newton was inaugurated by the Boston and Worcester Railroad in 1834, with Riverside station established during the 1850s close to where the railroad crosses the Charles River. This line was incorporated into the Boston and Albany Railroad (B&A) system in 1867. The B&A completed its Highland branch in 1886, reconnecting at Riverside and facilitating "Newton Circuit" operations.

Service on the Highland branch ceased in 1958 to allow conversion into a streetcar line. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority constructed a new Riverside station accompanied by an extensive commuter parking area situated in a former gravel pit to the south of the original location. Streetcar operations commenced on July 4, 1959, while limited commuter rail service persisted until October 28, 1977.

Elevated platforms were added at the northern end of the yard in 1995, repurposing the initial 1959 station structure into a bus terminal. These raised platforms enabled full accessibility coinciding with the introduction of low-floor light rail vehicles in 2002. Riverside stands out among surface-level Green Line stations by featuring a fare-controlled platform area that supports all-door boarding. This fare control began during morning rush hours in 1995 and expanded to full-time operation in 2006 following the implementation of the CharlieCard system.

A track connection linking Riverside to the mainline remains active, equipped with overhead catenary wires to facilitate vehicle transfers onto the light rail network. In October 1996, flooding necessitated temporary commuter rail shuttle service between Riverside and South Station utilizing this connection.

Several intercity bus operators—including Greyhound Lines, Peter Pan Bus Lines, Go Buses, and Megabus—provide limited service connections at Riverside. Although these services were briefly suspended in early 2010, they resumed later that year.

In 2014, Riverside was proposed as the terminus for a Diesel multiple unit (DMU) Indigo Line running to South Station via the former track link; however, this plan was cancelled in 2015. A private effort is underway to restore the pedestrian underpass at the former mainline station as part of a local trail system, supported by $100,000 in state design funding awarded in 2019. Upgrades to Riverside Yard are planned for the late 2020s to accommodate new Type 10 light rail vehicles.

Development

Transit-oriented development planning at Riverside began with MBTA initiatives dating back to the 1980s. Although a parking garage was considered for Riverside in October 1997, it was ultimately not pursued. On February 12, 2009, the MBTA approved an 85-year lease covering part of Riverside’s parking lots for mixed-use development initially envisioned to include office space totaling , retail space amounting to , and approximately 190 residential units. In late 2019, municipal rezoning expanded potential project scope.

By 2020, development plans had grown to incorporate of office space, retail space covering , 582 residential units, a hotel with 150 rooms, and a parking garage providing 1,990 spaces. Station improvements included installation of two elevators, new ramps, and a canopy structure. A parcel at the southwest corner of the yard—originally slated for development—was retained by MBTA for yard expansion anticipated around 2024.

In August 2024, MBTA approved an updated proposal: phase one will deliver 545 residential units along with a parking garage on the south side, reducing surface parking to approximately 530 spaces with around 120 reserved for MBTA operations. A second phase planned for the early 2030s envisions adding an office/laboratory building totaling , about 100 additional residential units, plus another parking garage.

External links

MBTA – Riverside Station