Temporary Lynn Commuter Rail Station Platform Expected to Open in December, Nine Months Ahead of Schedule

Updated December 6, 2023

Today, Acting Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt, MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng, Senator Brendan P. Crighton, Representative Peter Capano, Lynn Mayor Jared Nicholson, and MBTA Board Director Thomas McGee joined community leaders and stakeholders at the construction site of the temporary platform at Lynn Commuter Rail Station on the Newburyport/Rockport Line.

The MBTA in partnership with Commuter Rail operator Keolis Commuter Services (Keolis) was able to accelerate construction of the temporary platform in order to resume Commuter Rail service at Lynn Station in December 2023, which is nine months sooner than previously planned. The interim station will be located on Silsbee Street, which is three blocks or less than approximately a quarter of a mile from the original station.

“We all understand the holistic impact of a project like this in terms of how it will expand access to the entire public transportation network, lead to more business for local retailers, and be an incentive for the creation of new housing nearby,” said Acting Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt. “We’re grateful the MBTA found a way to build a temporary platform months earlier than previously announced because people in the Lynn area are eager to use Commuter Rail if they can do so conveniently.”

“Lynn has a bright economic future ahead, and the MBTA is a vital partner to local businesses and residents,” said MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng. “By ensuring Lynn is connected to Boston and other major cities, it increases job opportunities, access to essential services like medical institutions, and the vibrancy of its downtown area. As the MBTA continues to tackle years of disinvestment, we are committed to a new way of doing business: delivering service and projects in a more timely manner wherever possible. By accelerating the reopening of Lynn Station, we are reconnecting communities and the public we serve.”

“In partnership with the MBTA, Keolis looks forward to delivering the temporary platform for the residents of Lynn by the end of this year,” said Abdellah Chajai, CEO and General Manager of Keolis Commuter Services. “As operators of the Commuter Rail, we understand the important connections that our service enables each and every day for riders and we are eager to restore that service for the City of Lynn.”

The temporary platform will be fully accessible for all riders and include emergency generators, wayfinding, and variable messaging systems. The location of stops for connecting bus routes is still in the process of being planned and will be announced closer to the opening of the temporary platform.

Lynn Station was closed on October 1, 2022, while the Lynn Commuter Rail Station Improvements Project advances. Since then, the alternate travel option for passengers has been utilizing existing area bus routes and a free shuttle bus from Lynn to Swampscott station until the temporary platform was built. Due to the station’s important role in the community and after working closely with local leaders, the MBTA expedited the construction of the temporary platform at Lynn to restore service as quickly and safely as possible.

“Thank you to the Healey-Driscoll administration and General Manager Eng for their partnership and for prioritizing the restoration of Commuter Rail service in Lynn,” said Senator Brendan Crighton. “The legislative delegation, Mayor Nicholson, and local officials have long fought for service to be preserved while our new station is being built, and we are pleased that this administration felt the same sense of urgency and expedited the construction of a temporary platform.”

“We are excited to announce the restoration of service when the temporary platform for the Commuter Rail is made available to residents,” said Mayor Jared Nicholson. “This platform will provide the necessary transportation our residents deserve and couldn’t have happened without the collaboration of the City, State Delegation, and the Healey-Driscoll administration. I sincerely appreciate the MBTA’s response to our advocacy to accelerate the construction of this station.”

“Finally, Lynn residents will have commuter rail access back,” said Congressman Seth Moulton. “While it is simply unacceptable that Lynn residents have been without a safe, reliable, and affordable public transit option for this long, today’s announcement marks a positive step in the right direction. I am grateful to the MBTA and General Manager Eng, Mayor Nicholson, and the State delegation for their work in expediting the return of this essential service to Lynn. Next, we need to find a workable long-term solution so that the hard-working people of Lynn are never without transportation options again.”

“This is a creative temporary solution that allows access for our commuters while we await the completion of an updated and safe station that our city and our riders deserve,” said Representative Dan Cahill.

The MBTA was able to accelerate work on the temporary platform by leveraging their strong partnership with Commuter Rail operator Keolis and its contractor crews, Judleau OHLA USA contractors, and design contractor HDR Inc. At the direction of General Manager Eng and the MBTA, an alternative platform design was provided along with a modified construction plan that shortened procurement and installation timelines. Keolis and these contractor teams were also able to mobilize their skilled workforces to quickly complete the early stages of construction, preparing the foundations of the new platform, and building out the electrical and other base infrastructure. Work is being performed jointly by Keolis and these contractor crews working hand in hand with MBTA Capital Delivery through all construction phases to deliver the completed temporary platform.