Sullivan Square (MBTA station)

SULLIVAN SQUARE The station platforms. Station statistics Address One Broadway at One Cambridge Street, Charlestown Coordinates 42.384031°N 71.07697°W / 42.384031; -71.07697 Lines   Orange Line Platforms 2 island platforms Tracks 3 Parking 222 spaces, $5.50 fee Bicycle facilities 16 spaces Other information Opened June 10, 1901, as elevated until April 4, 1975 Rebuilt April 7, 1975, as part of the realignment of Haymarket North Extension Accessible Owned by Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Services Preceding station   MBTA   Following station Community College toward Forest Hills Orange Line current Wellington toward Oak Grove Community College toward Forest Hills Orange Line 2013 (expected) Assembly Square toward Oak Grove Old elevated configuration, elevated in red and upper level streetcar loop in blue

Sullivan Square is a station on the MBTA rapid transit Orange Line, and a major bus transfer point. It was also a major transfer point on the old Charlestown Elevated, with two streetcar loops (one at elevated level and one at surface level) for free transfers, later converted for trackless trolleys and buses.

The first Sullivan Square station was located on the Charlestown Elevated, which last ran on April 4, 1975. It was replaced with the Haymarket North Extension which opened April 7, including a new Sullivan Square Station, several blocks west of the old el station.

Bus connections

• CT2 Ruggles Station via Kendall/MIT
• 86 Reservoir (Cleveland Circle) via Harvard/Johnston Gate
• 89 Clarendon Hill or Davis Sq. via Broadway
• 90 Davis Square - Wellington Station via Sullivan Square Station & Assembly Mall
• 91 Central Sq., Cambridge via Washington St.
• 92 Assembly Sq. Mall - Downtown via Sullivan Sq. Sta., Main St. & Haymarket Sta.
• 93 Downtown via Bunker Hill St. & Haymarket Sta.
• 95 West Medford via Mystic Ave.
• 101 Malden Center Station via Salem St., Main St. & Broadway
• 104 Malden Center Station via Ferry St. & Broadway
• 105 Malden Center Station via Newland St. Housing
• 109 Linden Square via Glendale Square
• Manchester Shuttle Manchester-Boston Regional Airport via Anderson Regional Transportation Center

Accessibility

Sullivan is handicapped accessible; see MBTA accessibility.

Predecessor

Old elevated station in 1905

The original elevated station, which opened on June 10, 1901, was considered the crown jewel of the Boston Elevated Railway system which had just been completed. Surface streetcars ran up to the level of the elevated stations, allowing cross-platform transfer underneath an expansive trainshed.

The station was designed as a major transfer point, with many streetcar lines that had gone downtown truncated to Sullivan. However, the station quickly reached capacity, and an extension to Everett opened on March 15, 1919, with routes through Everett being moved to the new terminal. However, beginning on March 30, 1963, Everett was closed nights and Sundays, and the truncated routes (now all buses) were extended back to Sullivan Square at those times.

Over time, deferred maintenance on the Sullivan Square station took its toll, and by the time the Charlestown Elevated came down, the once-magnificent transportation hub was considered by some to be beyond saving. After the current Sullivan Square station was opened as part of the Haymarket North Extension project, there was some discussion of possible re-use of the older structure, but this was preempted by a catastrophic fire of unknown origin,^{[citation needed]} and the original station was demolished shortly thereafter.

Future plans

Sullivan Square Station is a proposed stop on the MBTA's planned Urban Ring Project. The Urban Ring would be a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Line designed to connect the current MBTA Lines to reduce strain on the downtown stations.

References

• Changes to Transit Service in the MBTA district (PDF)

External links

• MBTA - Sullivan Square Station (Orange Line)
• nycsubway.org - MBTA Orange Line: Sullivan Square
• nycsubway.org - MBTA Orange Line: Sullivan Square (Demolished)
• Area map