Green Line E branch

Green Line E branch
source
Name	E branch
Caption	A Type 8 train at Brigham Circle
Type	Light rail
System	MBTA subway (Green Line)
Status	Operational
Locale	Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Start	Heath Street
End	Lechmere / North Station
Stations	13
Open	16 February 1909 (as streetcar)
Owner	Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
Operator	Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
Character	At-grade street running, elevated, subway
Stock	Type 7, Type 8, Type 9
Linelength	3.8 mi

Green Line E branch. It is a light rail line and the southernmost branch of the MBTA Green Line in Boston, Massachusetts. The line operates on the surface along Huntington Avenue and in the subway tunnel shared with the B, C, and D branches, terminating at Lechmere or North Station. Service primarily connects the neighborhoods of Jamaica Plain and the Longwood Medical and Academic Area to downtown Boston.

History

The line's origins trace to the opening of the Huntington Avenue subway on February 16, 1909, by the Boston Elevated Railway, which connected streetcar lines from Forest Hills to the Tremont Street subway. Streetcar service along Huntington Avenue to Arborway was a major transit corridor for decades. Following the formation of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in 1964, streetcar service was truncated to Heath Street in 1985, converting the outer segment to a bus route. The line was integrated into the renamed Green Line system. A short-lived extension to Brigham Circle occurred in 2019 as part of accessibility upgrades, with permanent restoration to that point completed in 2022.

Route and stations

The surface route begins at the Heath Street terminal in Jamaica Plain, proceeding east along South Huntington Avenue and then Huntington Avenue. Key surface stops include Back of the Hill, Riverway, Mission Park, Fenwood Road, Brigham Circle, Longwood Medical Area, Museum of Fine Arts, and Northeastern University. Trains enter the Huntington Avenue subway portal near Northeastern University, joining the central subway at Copley. It then runs through Arlington, Boylston, Park Street, Government Center, and Haymarket before diverging to terminate at either Lechmere in East Cambridge or North Station.

Rolling stock

The branch is operated with the MBTA's standard light rail vehicle fleet. Primary equipment includes the Breda Type 8 and Kinki Sharyo Type 7 low-floor vehicles, which provide accessibility. The newer Type 9 trains, built by CAF, are also being introduced system-wide and serve this branch. All maintenance is performed at the Cabot Yard or the Southampton Street Yard. The vehicles are powered by overhead catenary on the surface and by a third rail in the subway sections.

Service and operations

Service operates from approximately 5:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. daily, with headways ranging from 6 to 12 minutes during peak periods. It shares the central subway trunk with the other Green Line branches, creating a high-frequency service core between Copley and North Station. The surface section along Huntington Avenue operates in mixed traffic, which can impact reliability. Major transfer points include Copley for bus routes, Park Street for the Red Line and Orange Line, and North Station for the Orange Line and Commuter Rail services operated by the MBTA Commuter Rail.

Future plans

Long-term proposals in the MBTA's strategic plans have included studying a potential re-extension of service from Heath Street further southwest to Hyde Square or Forest Hills, though no funding is allocated. The primary focus remains on modernization, including completing the rollout of the new Type 9 fleet and implementing signal priority or dedicated lanes along Huntington Avenue to improve travel times. These projects are part of broader initiatives like the Green Line Transformation program aimed at increasing capacity and reliability across the entire Green Line network.

Category:MBTA Green Line Category:Light rail in Massachusetts Category:Railway lines opened in 1909 Category:Transportation in Boston