Suffolk Downs station
Suffolk Downs station is a rapid transit station on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Blue Line, located on the east side of Orient Heights in East Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is named for the now-defunct Suffolk Downs racetrack, located just to the north. Suffolk Downs station has two side platforms, with a footbridge structure of brick, concrete, and steel connecting them. The station is accessible. With just 521 daily boardings in FY 2019, Suffolk Downs is the least-used fare-controlled station on the MBTA subway system.
Suffolk Downs | |||||||||||
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An outbound train at Suffolk Downs station in 2018 | |||||||||||
| General information | |||||||||||
| Location | 1230 Bennington Street East Boston, Massachusetts, US | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 42.3904°N 70.9970°W | ||||||||||
| Line(s) | Revere Extension | ||||||||||
| Platforms | 2 side platforms | ||||||||||
| Tracks | 2 | ||||||||||
| Construction | |||||||||||
| Structure type | At grade | ||||||||||
| Parking | 108 spaces ($2.50 fee) | ||||||||||
| Bicycle facilities | Racks available | ||||||||||
| Accessible | Yes | ||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||
| Opened | April 21, 1952 | ||||||||||
| Rebuilt | September 17, 1982–January 3, 1984 June 25, 1994–June 24, 1995 | ||||||||||
| Passengers | |||||||||||
| FY2019 | 521 boardings (weekday average) | ||||||||||
| Services | |||||||||||
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| Location | |||||||||||
Two previous stations at the site were operated by the Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad, which opened through East Boston in 1875. The railroad opened Waldemar station in 1894 to serve a nearby development; it was soon renamed Belle Isle. The station closed in the 1920s, but a new station named Suffolk Downs station opened on the site in 1935 to serve the new racetrack. Service on the line ended in 1940. Electric streetcar service on a parallel line operated from 1893 to 1952; a spur line directly to the racetrack was operated from 1935 to 1952.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) purchased the abandoned right-of-way in 1941 to extend the East Boston Tunnel rapid transit line. The MTA opened its Suffolk Downs station with a single platform in 1952; it was expanded with a second platform in 1954 as part of the second phase of the Revere Extension. After a 1976 fire, only the inbound platform remained open until a 1982–1984 renovation. The station was renovated further in 1994–95, and further improvements are planned as part of a redevelopment of the racetrack site.