Winter Street Concourse
| Company type | Underground pedestrian passageway |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | March 9, 1979 |
| Headquarters | Boston , United States |
Area served | Boston subway system |
| Owner | Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority |
The Winter Street Concourse is an underground walkway that connects the upper platforms of the Downtown Crossing and Park Street subway stations in Boston. This passage facilitates transfers between the Green and Orange lines, both managed by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Its existence helps to ease passenger volume on the Red Line.
History
The upper platform at Park Street commenced operations in September 1897 as a component of the Tremont Street subway, initially constructed as a streetcar tunnel that now serves the Green Line. Between 1901 and 1908, the Main Line Elevated—currently known as the Orange Line—shared this tunnel before relocating to the Washington Street tunnel in 1908. This new tunnel featured one-way stations at Winter Street for southbound trains and Summer Street for northbound trains, both situated near Park Street.
Service on the Cambridge subway, which is presently called the Red Line, began running from Harvard Square to Park Street Under in March 1912. It was subsequently extended to Washington station (now Downtown Crossing) by April 1915 and further extended to South Station Under in December 1916. The cut-and-cover construction method created a two-level tunnel: rapid transit trains operated on the lower level, while an upper-level fare lobby and a potential pedestrian corridor were positioned above Washington station.
The pedestrian tunnel beneath Summer Street functioned as a fare lobby with access points from shops at Downtown Crossing and included a turnstile maintenance area. Meanwhile, the portion under Winter Street was utilized for storage but was proposed in 1922 and again in 1927 as a pedestrian connection linked with expansion plans for Park Street station. However, these plans did not materialize during the 1936 station expansion. In 1960, this corridor hosted a temporary art display, serving as an early model for what would become the Arts on the Line initiative.
On March 9, 1979, the Winter Street segment was officially opened as an inside-fare-control pedestrian passageway designed to reduce pressure on the Red Line. A ticket counter previously operated on Downtown Crossing’s mezzanine outside the fare-controlled zone; in August 2012, MBTA merged its customer service functions there into what is now called the "CharlieCard Store." At first, only one half of the tunnel’s width was accessible to pedestrians; subsequent renovations carried out between 2017 and 2018 expanded access to both sides and enhanced lighting throughout the entire passageway.