Riverside (MBTA station)

Riverside (MBTA station)
Name	Riverside
Type	MBTA light rail station
Style	MBTA
Address	333 Grove Street, Newton, Massachusetts
Coordinates	42, 20, 12, N...
Line	Green Line D
Platform	2 side platforms
Parking	1,200 spaces
Bicycle	12 spaces
Opened	04 July 1959
Rebuilt	0 2024 (planned)
Code	70120
Other services header	Former services
Other services	Boston and Albany Railroad

Riverside (MBTA station) is a major light rail station and the western terminus of the Green Line D branch of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) system. Located at 333 Grove Street in the Auburndale village of Newton, it functions as a critical park and ride facility with extensive parking for commuters traveling into Boston. The station, which opened in 1959 on the site of a former New York Central Railroad yard, is fully accessible and serves as a key multimodal transit hub for the western suburbs.

History

The station occupies the site of the former Riverside Yard, a major steam locomotive servicing facility for the Boston and Albany Railroad, a subsidiary of the New York Central Railroad. Following the decline of steam power and passenger service, the MBTA purchased the property to establish a new terminus for the Green Line, replacing the former Beacon Street line terminus at Boston College. Designed by the firm of Anderson, Notter, Feinberg & Associates, Riverside station opened on July 4, 1959, as part of the Highland branch extension project. Its opening marked a significant shift from commuter rail to light rail service along the former Boston and Albany Railroad right-of-way, a corridor originally built by the Charles River Railroad.

Station layout

The station features a simple layout with two side platforms serving the two-track terminus, located within a wide, paved area adjacent to the large parking lot. A central headhouse structure contains the station's fare control area, ticket vending machines, and a customer service booth. The design is utilitarian, emphasizing efficient passenger flow from the parking areas to the platforms. The station's infrastructure includes a balloon loop that allows Type 7 and Type 8 light rail vehicles to turn around for the eastbound journey back toward Boston via Kenmore and Government Center.

Accessibility

Riverside station is fully accessible, compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Both platforms are equipped with mini-high platforms that align with train doors, facilitating level boarding for passengers using wheelchairs or other mobility aids. Accessible parking spaces are available in the main lot, and the path of travel from the parking area to the platforms is barrier-free. The station's accessibility was a focus of upgrades completed in the early 2000s as part of system-wide MBTA accessibility initiatives.

Services and connections

As the terminus of the Green Line D branch, all revenue service on the branch begins and ends at Riverside. The station provides direct light rail service to major destinations including Longwood Medical Area, Fenway–Kenmore, Back Bay, and downtown Boston. It functions as a major bus transfer point, with MBTA bus routes such as the 558 and 553 providing connections to Wellesley, Waltham, and other Middlesex County communities. The extensive park-and-ride lot, one of the largest in the MBTA system, is a key feature for commuters from the Route 128 corridor.

Ridership and statistics

Riverside is one of the busiest stations on the Green Line, consistently ranking among the top stations for boardings due to its park-and-ride function. Pre-pandemic annual boardings regularly exceeded 1.2 million passengers. The station's large parking lot, with approximately 1,200 spaces, frequently reaches capacity on weekday mornings, underscoring its role in managing traffic congestion from the western suburbs into Boston. Ridership demographics show a high proportion of commuters traveling to employment centers in Boston and Cambridge.

Future plans

The station is slated for a major reconstruction as part of the MBTA Capital Investment Plan. Planned improvements, with construction anticipated to begin in 2024, include a complete redesign of the passenger headhouse, enhanced pedestrian and bicycle access, modernized signage, and security upgrades. The project also aims to improve traffic circulation within the parking lot and integrate better amenities for bus connections. These upgrades are considered essential for supporting future ridership growth and are aligned with broader regional goals outlined by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Category:MBTA Green Line stations Category:Railway stations in Newton, Massachusetts Category:Railway stations opened in 1959 Category:Transportation buildings and structures in Middlesex County, Massachusetts