Oak Grove To Become Permanent Commuter Rail Stop: MBTA

MALDEN, MA — Commuter Rail trains running on the MBTA’s Haverhill Line via Reading will continue to stop at Oak Grove station in Malden until further notice, the T announced on Friday.

Coming as the MBTA winds down its 30-day Orange Line shutdown, the T’s announcement extends what was originally described as temporary Commuter Rail use of Oak Grove to help handle a surge of Orange Line riders needing a new way to get to and from Boston.

Oak Grove sits less than .75 miles north of the Malden Center station, which has long had Commuter Rail service. It is similarly just over a mile south of the Wyoming Hill Commuter Rail station in Melrose.

Though close to other transit options, Oak Grove boasts a larger parking area than either Wyoming Hill or Malden Center. Its use also puts more area riders within easier walking distance of a stop without needing to travel into downtown Malden or portions of Melrose around the Wyoming Hill stop.

The addition of Oak Grove also adds another Orange Line/Commuter Rail transfer location, with both lines also sharing the Malden Center station.

The parking situation was recently a benefit during the onset of the Orange Line shutdown, Malden Mayor Gary Christenson told Patch last month, providing a chance for riders to use the Commuter Rail while avoiding excess traffic particularly around Malden Center.

While expanding access and options, the permanent reopening of the Oak Grove station will add another stop for commuters already on their way into Boston from communities north of Oak Grove.

The inbound morning commute from Wyoming Hill to North Station had taken between 17 and 19 minutes without an Oak Grove stop earlier this year, according to MBTA schedules. The same commute now takes between 19 and 21 minutes with the addition of an Oak Grove stop.

The MBTA heavily incentivized Commuter Rail use during its rollout of the Orange Line shutdown, offering what was essentially free fare anywhere in zones 1, 1a and 2, which includes stations as far north as Reading.

As the Orange Line gets set to resume subway service on Monday, the MBTA confirmed on Friday that it will revert to traditional fare rates in all zones.

The addition of Oak Grove as a permanent Commuter Rail option came as a surprise for some on Friday, with the Melrose Pedestrian and Bicyclist Committee calling the announcement “unexpected news” in a Tweet.

The Oak Grove station had historically been a Commuter Rail station at various points over the years.

It had not been in service by the Commuter Rail for several years prior to the Orange Line shutdown, though.