Savin Hill station
| Company type | Rapid transit station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | 1845 |
| Headquarters | Boston, Massachusetts , United States |
Area served | Boston metropolitan area |
| Products | Rapid transit services |
Savin Hill station is a rapid transit stop located in Boston, Massachusetts, serving the Ashmont branch of the MBTA's Red Line. Situated at 121 Savin Hill Avenue close to Sydney Street in the Savin Hill neighborhood of Dorchester, it originally opened as a commuter rail station in 1845 before transitioning to rapid transit use in 1927. The station underwent reconstruction during 2004–05 to enhance accessibility features. With an average daily ridership of 2,199 boardings in FY 2019, Savin Hill ranks as the least frequented station on the Red Line.
Station layout
The station is traversed by five tracks aligned approximately north to south, positioned west of the Southeast Expressway. An island platform serves the two-track Ashmont Branch on the western side, while to the east lie one commuter rail track and two Braintree Branch tracks. The primary entrance is located at the northern end of the platform, accessible via the Savin Hill Avenue overpass, with a secondary access point on South Sydney Street.
Old Colony Railroad
The Old Colony Railroad commenced operations between Plymouth and South Boston in November 1845. By 1848, Savin Hill functioned as a flag stop for trains servicing South Braintree and the Dorchester and Milton Branch. By 1852, a station building stood just north of today’s location. The station was relocated to its current site south of Savin Hill Avenue by 1874. In 1881, Old Colony constructed a new brick depot on the west (inbound) track side, complemented by a wooden structure on the opposite side. Following quadruple-tracking improvements, local services utilized the outer tracks adjacent to the station, while express trains operated on the inner tracks.
Conversion to rapid transit
Passenger rail service along the Shawmut Branch ceased in September 1926. After acquiring this line, the Boston Elevated Railway transformed it into the Dorchester Extension—an expansion of the Cambridge-Dorchester Tunnel rapid transit line. Savin Hill station, situated on the Old Colony mainline, was reconstructed for rapid transit purposes. Existing commuter rail platforms and buildings were dismantled; meanwhile, a temporary facility served passengers until November 4, 1927. The station officially reopened on November 5, 1927, simultaneously with Columbia and Fields Corner, marking the initial phase of the extension.
In 1934, a busway was introduced on Savin Hill’s western side by the Boston Elevated Railway. Construction for this busway and an accompanying pedestrian overpass began in August and concluded by December that year. Fare collection points were relocated to platform level, and a southern extension of the platform was added without interrupting train operations.
On January 13, 1961, the MTA implemented "modified express service" during morning peak hours that bypassed Savin Hill along with three other stations; this followed earlier similar service patterns on the Forest Hills–Everett line. However, this skip-stop arrangement was discontinued in September 1961 to minimize wait times at stations that had been skipped.
Currently, no MBTA bus routes serve Savin Hill directly. Up until the 1960s, four bus lines—including route 18—terminated at this location. To facilitate construction of a parking lot at the former busway site and alleviate traffic congestion on nearby streets, routes 13 and 14 were redirected away from Savin Hill in late 1962; simultaneously, routes 12 and 18 were merged into what is now known as route 18.
Additional changes included removal of the waiting room during the 1970s and extension of the platform in the late 1980s to accommodate six-car trains. By the end of that century, Savin Hill maintained more of its original pre-World War II architecture than other stations along the line but had yet to be updated for full accessibility.
2004–05 Renovation
In October 2003, the MBTA initiated the $67 million Red Line Rehabilitation Project, focusing on improvements at Shawmut, Fields Corner, and Savin Hill stations. The construction phase commenced in March 2004. The original Savin Hill station, constructed in 1927, was closed on May 9, 2004, and subsequently demolished to make way for a new facility designed to meet ADA standards, including the installation of elevators to ensure full accessibility. During the station’s 14-month shutdown, shuttle buses operated from JFK/UMass to serve passengers. The updated station officially reopened on July 31, 2005. The reopening experienced delays beyond the initially scheduled 10-month timeline due to adverse weather conditions and challenges in obtaining steel materials. Although the majority of construction work was completed by April 2005, the final reopening was postponed because elevator and escalator installations were not finished on time. Budget reductions led to the cancellation of planned public art projects under the Arts on the Line initiative; instead, only historical interpretive panels were installed.
In October 2023, bus service temporarily replaced trains on the Ashmont Branch from October 14 to October 29 to facilitate essential track maintenance. During this timeframe, the stairways at Savin Hill station were also replaced as part of the upgrades.