Waverley station (MBTA)
| Company type | MBTA Commuter Rail station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Transportation |
| Founded | 1860 |
| Headquarters | Belmont, Massachusetts , United States |
| Products | Commuter rail services (Fitchburg Line) |
Waverley station functions as an MBTA Commuter Rail stop located in Belmont, Massachusetts, serving the Fitchburg Line. Positioned below street level, it sits within Waverley Square at the junction of Trapelo Road, Lexington Street, and Church Street.
History
The Fitchburg Railroad began operations through Belmont on December 20, 1843; however, the establishment of Waverley Square station occurred approximately in 1860. Service on the adjacent Central Massachusetts Railroad started in 1881, with each railroad maintaining its own station building until both were merged under the Boston and Maine Railroad (B&M).
Initially, the railroad tracks intersected Trapelo Road and Lexington Street at grade level. In a state-funded initiative costing $1.125 million, completed by 1952, the tracks were lowered by 18 feet to remove these level crossings. Following this change, trains from the Central Mass Branch were rerouted onto the Fitchburg main line. Passenger service to Waverley and the nearby Belmont Center stations ceased in 1958.
Operations recommenced on March 4, 1974, after the Central Mass Branch was discontinued in 1971, with all trains running along the Fitchburg Line. By 1977, the original station structure had been removed. Weekend train service was eliminated in 1981 but later reinstated in 1993.
In 2004, the MBTA proposed constructing a five-story air rights project above the station. The subsequent 2005 Fitchburg Commuter Rail Line Improvement Plan suggested merging Waverley and Belmont stations into a single site. Due to expenses related to accessibility improvements, the MBTA considered closing either Waverley or Belmont station in 2015.
By 2024, the MBTA initiated an update to its plans for making Waverley station accessible, exploring options for platforms approximately 400 feet long as well as those meeting the standard length near 800 feet.