MBTA’s Winchester Center Station Partially Opens September 30th
Written by Jennifer McLawhorn, Managing Editor
Rendering of a completed Winchester Center Station.
Courtesy of MBTA
BOSTON - The MBTA announced the Winchester Center Station on its Lowell Commuter Rail Line will partially reopen on September 30th.
The announcement comes after construction on station improvements began in 2022. Previously, the station had not received any major upgrades since the 1950s. The partial opening means the south end of the station will be accessible, and passengers can ride both inbound and outbound. According to the most recent update from the MBTA, the station is scheduled to be fully open Winter 2025. With a budget of $50 million, the station’s renovation includes demolishing the old station and completing structural repairs for safety and accessibility.
Crews are working to reconstruct ramps and add three new elevators. During this partial opening, two elevators will be open with the third in service for the full opening. Crews are also upgrading canopies, signs, railings, and lighting as well as adding benches, bike racks, and a public address system. Additionally, walkways and sidewalks are receiving updates, and a raised platform will be fully accessible to accommodate longer nine-car trains.
“We are very pleased to be announcing that, effective on September 30, passengers will be able to board and exit trains at Winchester Center and that the station is now fully accessible,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt. “The MBTA has completed the projects to make the station ADA-compliant, to improve the overall customer experience, and to upgrade safety features. We are grateful to our partners in the community for their patience during construction in Winchester and we appreciate the understanding of the public at large as the MBTA undertakes other critical capital investment projects system wide.”
“The communities we serve deserve safe and accessible public transportation,” said MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng. “Thank you to the town of Winchester and our riders for their patience and support as well as our System-Wide Accessibility, Capital Delivery, and Railroad Operations teams for their dedication on this project. We’re all committed to delivering a safe, reliable, affordable and accessible transportation system across all modes of the MBTA that everyone can be proud of.”
For riders, the MBTA states an updated Lowell Line schedule will be available online by the middle of September 2024.
