Grand Junction Transit Feasibility Study

The CRA is conducting a study to investigate the feasibility of future rail transit service along the Grand Junction. The Grand Junction corridor has long been discussed as a possible transit corridor connecting Allston Yards in Boston, through points in Cambridge (Cambridgeport, MIT, Kendall Square, and East Cambridge), to the existing corridor’s terminus at North Station. Past planning efforts to study potential uses have included various forms of light rail, rapid transit, and a multi-use path. Rail transit service on the Grand Junction Corridor was also a central consideration of the Kendall Square Mobility Task Force, the recommendations of which were published in the Transport Kendall Report in 2019.

The study will seek to identify feasible options for a rail transit service along the Grand Junction rail line connecting Allston/West Station, Cambridgeport, the MIT campus, Area 4/The Port, Kendall Square, North Point, and Allston/West Station.

The study will evaluate issues related to corridor right-of-way, service characteristics (vehicle technology, stations served, frequency), and potential ridership estimates. This includes feasibility analysis for potential transit modes and equipment types. The study will conclude with a technical memorandum summarizing each operational alternative and provide approximate “order of magnitude” costs for each option as well as a final report summarizing all findings from the study. The study is now expected to be published in Spring 2024.

Resources from Past Meetings

• Presentation from Cambridge Transit Advisory Committee Meeting 11.02.23

• Presentation from Cambridge Transit Advisory Committee Meeting 06.01.23

This study is in progress and this page will be updated with more information as it becomes available.