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Morton Street station

Coordinates: 42°16′50″N 71°05′09″W / 42.2806°N 71.0857°W / 42.2806; -71.0857
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Morton Street
An inbound train at Morton Street station in 2024
General information
Location865 Morton Street
Mattapan, Boston, Massachusetts
Coordinates42°16′50″N 71°05′09″W / 42.2806°N 71.0857°W / 42.2806; -71.0857
Line(s)Dorchester Branch
Platforms2 side platforms
Tracks2
ConnectionsBus transport MBTA bus: 21, 26
Construction
AccessibleYes
Other information
Fare zone1A
History
Opened1855; November 3, 1979;[1]
October 5, 1987[1]
Closed1944, January 30, 1981[1]
Rebuilt2006
Previous namesForest Avenue (previous station)
Passengers
2018264 (weekday average boardings)[2]
Services
Preceding station MBTA Following station
Blue Hill Avenue
toward Readville
Fairmount Line Talbot Avenue
Blue Hill Avenue Franklin/​Foxboro Line
Former services
Preceding station MBTA Following station
Fairmount Providence/​Stoughton Line
1971-2004
Uphams Corner
Preceding station New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Following station
Mattapan
toward Readville
Boston–​Readville via Midland Branch Dorchester
toward Boston
Location
Map

Morton Street station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station on Fairmount Line located on Morton Street (MA 203) in the Mattapan neighborhood of Boston. With two full-length high-level platforms and ramps to the street, the station is accessible. The station was reconstructed in 2006, with the official reopening in 2007.[3]

History

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Inbound platform and stairs before 2006 rebuild
Morton Street after 2006 rebuild
Morton Street before and after the 2006 reconstruction

Service on the Fairmount Line (as the Dorchester Branch of the Norfolk County Railroad and later the New York and New England Railroad and New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad) began in 1855 and lasted until 1944. The service included a stop at Morton Street, originally known as Forest Avenue.[4]

The Dorchester Branch (Midland Route) was reopened as a bypass in November 1979 during Southwest Corridor construction, including stops at Uphams Corner, Morton Street, and Fairmount.[1] Uphams Corner and Morton Street were dropped effective January 30, 1981 as part of systemwide cuts.[1][5] Morton Street was originally built at minimal cost, with small low-level platforms and staircases to Morton Street. The station was not accessible, since service over the route was intended to be temporary; however, it was popular with residents of the communities the line passed through. When the Southwest Corridor reopened on October 5, 1987, the Fairmount Line shuttle service was retained, with Uphams Corner and Morton Street renovated and reopened.[1][6]

In September 2005, the MBTA awarded a $6.5 million contract to rebuild the station as part of the Fairmount Line Improvements project. The upgrades included two full-length high-level platforms to make the station accessible, ramps to Morton Street and Flint Street, canopies, and improved lighting and signage.[7] The work was completed on July 17, 2007.[3] In 2014, MassDOT replaced the structurally deficient bridge carrying Morton Street over the Fairmount Line tracks. Alternate accessible entrances to the station from the street were used during the replacement.[8]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f Belcher, Jonathan. "Changes to Transit Service in the MBTA district" (PDF). Boston Street Railway Association.
  2. ^ Central Transportation Planning Staff (2019). "2018 Commuter Rail Counts". Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.
  3. ^ a b "State Implementation Plan – Transit Commitments Monthly Status Report" (PDF). Massachusetts Department of Transportation. April 19, 2012. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 1, 2017.
  4. ^ Leo S. (December 26, 2009). "Railroad Stations in Dorchester". Dorchester Atheneum. Archived from the original on January 8, 2014. Retrieved May 10, 2012.
  5. ^ "T changes start today". Boston Globe. February 1, 1981. p. 24 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  6. ^ Rothenberg, Alex (July 14, 1987). "Midlands Branch commuter rail service scheduled to resume in fall". Boston Globe. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Morton Street Station To Be Rebuilt/Modernized" (Press release). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. September 8, 2005.
  8. ^ "Morton Street Bridge Replacement Project". Massachusetts Department of Transportation - Highway Division. Archived from the original on July 8, 2015.
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