Magoun Square station

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Magoun Square
Magoun Square station under construction (2), December 2021.JPG
Magoun Square station under construction in December 2021
LocationLowell Street at Vernon Street
Somerville, Massachusetts
Coordinates42°23′37.40″N 71°6′23.73″W / 42.3937222°N 71.1065917°W / 42.3937222; -71.1065917Coordinates: 42°23′37.40″N 71°6′23.73″W / 42.3937222°N 71.1065917°W / 42.3937222; -71.1065917
Line(s)Medford Branch
Platforms1 island platform
Construction
Disabled accessYes
History
OpeningMid-2022 (planned)
Services
Preceding station MBTA.svg MBTA Following station
Ball Square
toward Medford/​Tufts
 Green Line
E branch
 Gilman Square
toward Heath Street
Former services (Somerville Junction station)
Preceding station Boston and Maine Railroad Following station
North Somerville
toward Concord, NH
 Boston – Concord, NH Winter Hill
toward Boston

Magoun Square station is an under-construction light rail station on the MBTA Green Line E branch in Somerville, Massachusetts. The station will have one island platform, which will serve the E branch's two tracks. It is expected to open in mid-2022 as part of the Green Line Extension.

History[]

Railroad station[]

Somerville Junction station in 1907

Somerville Junction was the name of a railroad junction and station in Somerville, Massachusetts, United States. The station, which closed in 1927,[1] was located at the site of the present-day park near the intersection of Centre and Woodbine Streets.[2][3] Nearby, a westward connector split off from the main line of the Boston and Lowell Railroad. It was built by the B&L to connect to the Lexington and Arlington Railroad after its 1870 acquisition. A branch was later added, extending the connector to form the Fitchburg Cutoff. A publication highlighting Somerville railroad history in connection with the MBTA Green Line extension project includes a photo of the depot (also seen here, to the right) and a discussion of Somerville Junction's history.[1] Per 1895 maps, the station was situated about 70 yards (65 meters) from the Central Street bridge,[4] and the junction of the tracks was about 240 yards (225 meters) farther northwest.[5]

Laurin A. Woodward was station agent from 1871 to the 1920s; in 1921, his 50 years of such work were believed to be the longest in New England.[6][7] The station building was abandoned by the early 1930s.[8] The B&M received permission to close the stop in 1939, though some service may have maintained into the 1940s.[9][10][11] It was closed completely prior to the 1958 cuts that closed North Somerville, Tufts College, and Medford Hillside stations.[12]

Green Line station[]

Station construction in November 2020

Originally announced as Lowell Street station, the MBTA announced in December 2016 that the opening would be delayed until 2021 in the wake of cutbacks, and that the name of the station would be changed to Magoun Square, named after the nearby Magoun Square neighborhood.[13] The station will be located on Lowell Street 0.3 miles (0.48 km) south of the actual square. The concrete platform was poured in August 2020.[14] By June 2021, the platform canopy was in place, with steelwork for the footbridge underway.[15]

Public art at the station will include Unfolding Light by Aaron Stephen – sculptural lighting over the footbridge to the station – as well as graffiti-style murals on panels on station signs.[16]

Original plans called for the D branch to be extended to Medford/Tufts.[17][18] In April 2021, the MBTA indicated that the Medford branch would instead be served by the E branch.[19] By March 2021, the station was expected to open in December 2021.[20] In June 2021, the MBTA indicated an additional delay, under which the station was expected to open in May 2022.[21] In February 2022, the MBTA announced that the Medford Branch would open in "late summer".[22]

References[]

  1. ^ a b "Rails of the Past Guiding the Green Line of the Future" (PDF). Somerville Bicycle Committee and the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission. May 31, 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 2, 2016.
  2. ^ The Park at Somerville Junction, at the site of the former station, was dedicated on September 25, 2008. Centre St. is not to be confused with Central St.
  3. ^ "Parks and Open Space - Park at Somerville Junction". Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  4. ^ 1895 G. W. Bromley & Co. map showing station location Accessed January 23, 2017
  5. ^ 1895 G. W. Bromley & Co. map showing junction Accessed January 23, 2017
  6. ^ "Many railroad men in N. E. have served half-century". Boston Globe. March 3, 1924. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  7. ^ "For fifty years a station agent". Boston Globe. August 31, 1921. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  8. ^ "How would you like to live in a railroad station". Boston Globe. July 15, 1933. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  9. ^ "Two Stations closed on Boston & Maine". Boston Globe. December 28, 1939. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  10. ^ "Proposed Rapid Transit Route: Lechmere to Woburn". Report of the Legislative Commission on Rapid Transit. 1945. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014 – via Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership.
  11. ^ "New Rail Fares". Boston Globe. October 18, 1947. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  12. ^ "Drastic Service Cuts Approved on Five B.& M. Divisions". Daily Boston Globe. 19 April 1958. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  13. ^ Dungca, Nicole (December 7, 2016). "New Green Line stations are delayed until 2021". Boston Globe. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  14. ^ "GLX Community Working Group Monthly Meeting: August 4, 2020". Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. August 4, 2020. p. 9.
  15. ^ Wagner, Jeff (June 1, 2021). "GLXC Construction Update". Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. p. 26.
  16. ^ "GLX Community Working Group Monthly Meeting #39". Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. February 2, 2021.
  17. ^ "MBTA Light Rail Transit System OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE PLAN" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. January 6, 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 7, 2017.
  18. ^ "Travel Forecasts: Systemwide Stats and SUMMIT Results" (PDF). Green Line Extension Project: FY 2012 New Starts Submittal. Massachusetts Department of Transportation. January 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 7, 2017.
  19. ^ DeCosta-Klipa, Nik (April 9, 2021). "The MBTA is planning to open part of the Green Line Extension this October". Boston Globe. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  20. ^ "Report from the General Manager" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. March 29, 2021. p. 20.
  21. ^ Dalton, John (June 21, 2021). "Green Line Extension Update" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. p. 19.
  22. ^ Lisinski, Chris (February 24, 2022). "Green Line Extension service to begin March 21". WBUR. Retrieved February 25, 2022.

External links[]

Media related to Magoun Square station at Wikimedia Commons

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