Science Park station (MBTA)

Science Park station (signed as Science Park/West End) is an elevated light rail station on the MBTA Green Line. It is located at the Boston end of the Old Charles River Dam at Leverett Circle, near the intersection of Nashua Street and Charles Street (Storrow Drive). The station is located at the south end of the Lechmere Viaduct, which carries the Green Line over the Charles River Prior. The station is named for the nearby Boston Museum of Science. With 873 daily boardings by a FY 2019 count, Science Park is the least-used fare-controlled station on the Green Line.

Science Park / West End
Science Park station in June 2017
LocationLeverett Circle, Boston, Massachusetts
Coordinates42°22′00″N 71°04′03.5″W
Line(s)Lechmere Viaduct
Platforms2 side platforms
Connections Lechmere–North Station shuttle
Construction
Disabled accessYes
Other information
StatusTemporarily closed (May 24, 2020–April 2021)
History
OpenedAugust 20, 1955
RebuiltApril 30 - November 4, 2011
Traffic
Passengers (FY2019)873 boardings (weekday average)[1]
Services (upon 2021 reopening)
Preceding station MBTA Following station
North Station
toward Riverside
 Green Line Lechmere
toward Medford/​Tufts
North Station
toward Heath Street
 Green Line
E branch
 Lechmere
toward Union Square

Service to Science Park and Lechmere stations is replaced by shuttle buses from May 24, 2020, to April 2021 due to construction of the Green Line Extension project.

History
Science Park station in August 1955 just after opening

The Lechmere viaduct opened in June 1912, allowing streetcars from Somerville, Cambridge, and Charlestown direct access to the Tremont Street subway, and the prepayment terminal at Lechmere opened in 1922. However, there was no station located on the viaduct itself until Science Park station (named after the 1951-opened Museum of Science) opened on August 20, 1955.[2]

The station was closed from June 25, 2004 to February 12, 2005, while the Causeway Street Elevated was replaced by a new tunnel under TD Garden.[2][3] On January 21, 2009, station signage was changed to read "Science Park/West End", though MBTA maps continued to used the shorter name.[4][5]

A footbridge originally crossed the west side of Leverett Circle and connected to the fare mezzanine of the station. The bridge was removed in 2005 as part of Big Dig construction (to allow for the addition on an underpass to Storrow Drive), though the state promised to replace it.[6][7] In 2016, MassDOT began designing a replacement bridge.[8]

On April 30, 2011, Science Park and Lechmere stations were closed for a complete renovation of Science Park station.[2] The elevated platforms (dating to 1955) were rebuilt, and elevators were added to make the station accessible. The platform level was raised slightly to allow level boarding on low-floor Type 8 trams, while ramps were added to allow wheelchair boarding on older high-floor Type 7 trams. By closing the station during construction, the renovations were completed 6 months ahead of the original schedule.[9] While both stations were closed, the MBTA operated a free shuttle bus service connecting them to North Station. Science Park station was reopened and regular service between Lechmere and North Station resumed on November 5, 2011.[2]

Only the E branch has served Science Park since service resumed after the 2004–05 closure.[2] On May 24, 2020, service between North Station and Lechmere was temporarily replaced with shuttle buses due to Green Line Extension construction. The station will reopen in 2021 with E branch service to Union Square and D branch service to Medford/​Tufts.[10][2]

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References
  1. "A Guide to Ridership Data". MassDOT/MBTA Office of Performance Management and Innovation. June 22, 2020. p. 8.
  2. Belcher, Jonathan. "Changes to Transit Service in the MBTA district" (PDF). NETransit.
  3. "Effective Saturday, November 12th, Green Line Service To Lechmere and Science Park Stations To Resume" (Press release). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. November 4, 2005.
  4. "'West End' Added to Science Park" (Press release). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. January 21, 2009.
  5. Ryan, Andrew (January 21, 2009). "With new station name, Green Line now stops in West End". Boston Globe. Archived from the original on January 24, 2009.
  6. "Part III: Section 4(f) Evaluation". Central Artery (I-93)/Tunnel (I-90) Project: Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement. Massachusetts Department of Public Works. January 1991. p. III-9 – via Google Books.
  7. Bierman, Noah (November 7, 2007). "West End debates planned pedestrian bridge". Boston Globe.
  8. Graham, Jordan (March 27, 2016). "Steps taken for pedestrian bridge over Leverett Circle". Boston Herald.
  9. "Science Park/West End Improvement Project". Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Archived from the original on January 5, 2012.
  10. Levy, Marc (November 20, 2019). "Buses will be back for 11 months at Lechmere as green line extension T project rolls onward". Cambridge Day.

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