MBTA begins replacement of Chelsea Commuter Rail Station

Gov. Charlie Baker, MassDOT Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack, and MBTA GM Steve Poftak joined municipal leaders, elected officials, and local stakeholder groups to celebrate the beginning of construction of the brand new, relocated Chelsea Commuter Rail Station.

Serving the Newburyport/Rockport Commuter Rail Line, the current Chelsea Commuter Rail Station is inconvenient for transfers to other modes of service, including the Silver Line 3-Chelsea (SL3) that began operating in April 2018. The current Chelsea Station is also not accessible for persons with disabilities.

With a Notice to Proceed awarded to A.A. Will in June 2019 and early work beginning last month, the brand new Chelsea Commuter Rail Station will be relocated approximately 1,800 feet west of the existing station for easier, more convenient transfers to the adjacent SL3 stop in Chelsea. The new station will also be a completely accessible facility and feature high-level platforms, new sidewalks, ramps, stairways, lighting, signage, canopies, benches, and windscreens. The station is expected to be complete in 2021. With station construction costs of $32 million, the total project budget, which includes administrative, project, and support services, is $37.6 million.

During construction, MBTA crews and contractors will also completely demolish the current Chelsea Station, upgrade rail signaling systems and traffic crossings, make improvements to traffic signals at three intersections that cross the Silver Line busway (Everett Avenue, Spruce Street, and Arlington Street), and improve transit signal priority for the SL3 in Chelsea, enhancing safety and reliability of the Silver Line service through the immediate area.