Ruggles station
| Company type | Transit station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | May 4, 1987 in Boston, Massachusetts, United States |
| Headquarters | Boston , United States |
| Products | Rapid transit, commuter rail, bus services |
Ruggles station functions as a major intermodal transfer point in Boston, Massachusetts, accommodating Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) rapid transit, bus, and commuter rail lines. Positioned at the intersection of Ruggles and Tremont streets, it links the communities of Roxbury, Fenway–Kenmore, and Mission Hill, and lies next to the Northeastern University campus. The station provides access to the Orange Line subway along with the MBTA Commuter Rail’s Providence/Stoughton Line, Franklin/Foxboro Line, and Needham Line. Additionally, thirteen MBTA bus routes serve this location.
Established in 1987 as a component of the Southwest Corridor initiative, Ruggles took over from Dudley Street Terminal as a principal bus transfer hub for Roxbury and Dorchester neighborhoods. At its inception, the station included only one island platform serving the Northeast Corridor tracks, which restricted commuter rail service stops. Between 2017 and 2021, significant improvements were undertaken, including the addition of a second side platform, the replacement of four elevators, and a complete overhaul of the busway. A subsequent phase is planned to introduce new entry points for both the Orange Line and commuter rail platforms.
Station layout
Situated above the Southwest Corridor north of Ruggles Street and westward of Columbus Avenue—the historic location of the South End Grounds—the elevated station was designed by Stull and Lee. Its primary structure features a rectangular "tubular-framed, high-tech" canopy. The concourse arches diagonally, aligning with Forsyth Street, with entrances at each end; this design reflects the reconnection between Jamaica Plain and Roxbury, areas once separated by railroad tracks.
Encircling the station is a clockwise busway with distinct entry and exit points on Ruggles Street as well as from Melnea Cass Boulevard near Columbus Avenue. The upper (north) level of the busway corresponds with the concourse for passenger drop-offs, while the lower (south) level contains multiple lanes and designated bus bays for boarding. An architecture studio affiliated with Northeastern University occupies space beneath the upper busway adjacent to the Forsyth Street entrance. Numerous MBTA bus routes operate through Ruggles.
The station accommodates five tracks: two dedicated to the Orange Line and three serving commuter rail trains (with additional Amtrak lines passing through without stopping). The Orange Line utilizes a single island platform positioned on the northern side of the railroad trench. For commuter rail services, two northern mainline tracks are accessed via another island platform, while the southernmost track uses a side platform. Access points to these island platforms are located on the concourse’s west side beneath the canopy; entry to the side platform is available from both the busway and a pedestrian path from Columbus Avenue. Five elevators provide vertical connections among the concourse, platforms, busway, and Forsyth Street entrance.
Artwork
The station features two unique pieces of public art installed under the Arts on the Line initiative:
- Stony Brook Dance, created by John T. Scott, is an abstract kinetic sculpture made from aluminum suspended inside the western end of the concourse. It consists of thirty vibrant geometric tubes attached to stainless steel cables that move gently with air currents. Commissioned in 1986 and completed in 1989, this artwork merges elements inspired by diddley bows and wave physics.
- Geom-a-tree, developed collaboratively by Paul Goodnight, Elaine Sayoko Yoneoka, Stephanie Jackson St. Germain, and Emmanuel Genovese, is a ceramic tile and stained glass mural situated above the eastern exit of the concourse. Spanning 26 feet in width and 5 feet in height, it presents a vivid mosaic featuring Asian and African-American faces alongside symbolic imagery. Installed between 1990 and 1991, these artists had previously connected through legal disputes involving damage to their earlier creations.
In 2019, as part of an art project by Northeastern University, Silvia López Chavez contributed a mural to the station’s western wall. This colorful artwork portrays a woman blowing bubbles set against a lively background.
History
Ruggles station commenced operations on May 4, 1987, coinciding with an Orange Line rerouting that shifted the former Washington Street Elevated service into the Southwest Corridor. Commuter rail services were introduced shortly thereafter, beginning on October 5, 1987. Designed to cater to Northeastern University and the Longwood Medical Area, Ruggles took over from Dudley Square station as a key Orange Line bus hub.
Initially surfaced with asphalt, the busway deteriorated rapidly under heavy bus usage. In response, the MBTA allocated $430,000 in 1988 to replace the asphalt with more resilient concrete. Later, a $3.2 million renovation of the upper busway was completed, reopening in February 2006.
From August 19 to September 18, 2022, the entire Orange Line—including Ruggles’ platform—was shut down for maintenance work; however, commuter rail and bus operations continued without interruption.
Urban Ring proposal
Ruggles was identified as a potential stop on the Urban Ring Project, a proposed circumferential bus rapid transit (BRT) route intended to link MBTA rail lines and reduce congestion in downtown Boston. Draft designs from 2008 depicted buses utilizing existing infrastructure along with dedicated lanes near Ruggles. Ultimately, this initiative was discontinued in 2010.
First phase
Within various initiatives along the Urban Ring corridor, plans included constructing a second commuter rail platform at Ruggles to serve Track 2, allowing all commuter rail trains to call at the station. Prior to this addition in 2021, roughly 30% of inbound trains bypassed Ruggles due to limited platform access. The MBTA initially explored adding a second platform as early as 1993, six years after the station’s opening. A study conducted in 2008 recommended building an 800-foot full-length platform east of the busway bridge.
Public consultations started in 2012, proposing a new platform adjacent to the existing one but divided into two segments connected by a pedestrian tunnel beneath the busway bridge. In September 2014, the MBTA secured a $20 million TIGER grant for this $30 million project, which also encompassed lighting enhancements, security upgrades, elevator improvements, and refurbishment of the previously closed northern portion of the original platform.
By March 2016, design plans were approximately 90% finalized, with construction scheduled from late 2016 through 2018. In December 2016, the project’s scope expanded with an additional $1.6 million budget allocation to cover reconstruction of the lower busway, elevator replacements, new entrances, and other accessibility upgrades. Bidding took place in mid-2017; on June 26, a $19.7 million construction contract was awarded—below the initial $22 million estimate.
The groundbreaking ceremony occurred on August 22, 2017; total expenditures were projected at $38.5 million. Construction activities spanned from 2017 until 2019, beginning with lower busway reconstruction in April 2018. Elevator replacements commenced in November 2019 with two new units; the Orange Line elevator was completed by March 2021 before closing the commuter rail elevator for its replacement.
The newly constructed commuter rail platform opened on April 5, 2021, aligning with schedule changes requiring all trains to stop at Ruggles. The upgraded busway elevator became operational that same week; Forsyth Street’s elevator resumed service on May 11, and the commuter rail elevator reopened on December 6. Final tasks—including refurbishing the busway elevator—were completed later that month. These improvements significantly enhanced accessibility and facilitated smoother transfers among commuter rail services, the Orange Line, and bus routes.
Second phase
The second stage of the project is currently in progress, emphasizing improvements to accessibility at the Columbus Avenue entrance. This includes installing a covered ramp leading to the concourse and enhancing entry points to the lower busway. A newly constructed footbridge will connect the lower busway with the commuter rail island platform, accompanied by the restoration of its northeast segment as initially intended. Furthermore, a ramp will link the Orange Line platform to the concourse’s northeast area, incorporating updated faregates and reconstructed exit-only stairways. Design work reached full completion in August 2022; however, inflation along with other contributing factors caused an increase of $25 million in the anticipated construction expenses. Updated design plans were finalized during 2023. Although an additional elevator for the Orange Line is planned for future design, its construction will not occur within this phase.
The bidding process for Phase II commenced in September 2024, with cost estimates around $80 million. In February 2025, the MBTA awarded a construction contract valued at $92 million. The official notice to proceed was issued on March 20, 2025, setting a target completion date for 2028.
External links
- MBTA – Ruggles
- MBTA – Ruggles Station Improvements
- Google Maps Street View: Forsyth Street entrance, Ruggles Street entrance, Columbus Avenue entrance
- Articles with short description
- Orange Line (MBTA) stations
- Railway stations in Boston
- Stations on the Northeast Corridor
- MBTA Commuter Rail stations in Boston
- Railway stations in the United States opened in 1987
- Northeastern University buildings
- Roxbury, Boston
- Railway stations in Massachusetts at university and college campuses
- Bus stations in Boston