Yawkey (MBTA station)

YAWKEY
An inbound train arrives at Yawkey in March 2014
Location	85 Brookline Avenue Boston, Massachusetts
Coordinates	42°20′51″N 71°06′02″W / 42.3476°N 71.1006°W / 42.3476; -71.1006Coordinates: 42°20′51″N 71°06′02″W / 42.3476°N 71.1006°W / 42.3476; -71.1006
Line(s)	Framingham/Worcester Line
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	2
Connections	MBTA Bus: 8, 19, 60, 65 At Kenmore: MBTA Green Line, 57, 57A
Construction
Disabled access	Yes
Other information
Fare zone	1A
History
Opened	April 29, 1988 (1988-04-29)
Rebuilt	March 10, 2014 (2014-03-10)
Traffic
Passengers (2012)	362 daily boardings
Services
Preceding station   MBTA   Following station Boston Landing toward Worcester Framingham/Worcester Line Back Bay toward South Station West Station 2020 (planned) toward Worcester

Yawkey is a commuter rail station on the MBTA Commuter Rail Framingham/Worcester Line, located in the Fenway-Kenmore neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts near Kenmore Square. The station sits below grade between Beacon Street and Brookline Avenue, next to the Massachusetts Turnpike. Yawkey station was originally opened as an infill station in 1988, for limited service to Boston Red Sox games at Fenway Park. Regular commuter service began in 2001 for riders headed to Boston University, Kenmore Square, and the Longwood Medical and Academic Area.

Inbound and outbound trains formerly shared a single two-car platform on the inbound track, requiring Yawkey passengers to embark or debark from the front two cars of outbound trains or the rear two cars of inbound trains. In 2012, work began on a new station, which includes two longer high-level platforms and an overhead pedestrian bridge. The bridge will eventually allow direct access from the Beacon Street and Brookline Avenue overpasses through the planned Fenway Center development. Passengers boarded from the east end of the new station until March 10, 2014; after delays, it opened fully that day.

The new station is served by all Worcester Line trains; it is expected to increase ridership at Yawkey from 585 total daily boardings and alightings to 937. By a 2012 count, there were 827 daily (362 boardings and 465 alightings). With the completion of the new station, Yawkey is fully handicapped accessible.

Named in honor of long-time Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey, Yawkey was opened on April 29, 1988, and initially was only used for special service to Fenway Park for Boston Red Sox games. It was used by Framingham Line trains as well as special "Fenway Flyer" baseball trains from the Attleboro (now Providence/Stoughton) and Franklin lines. The "Fenway Flyer" trains had an annual ridership of 58,000 in 1990. The station became popular enough that the MBTA added regular commuter service. This largely obviated the need for "Fenway Flyer" specials, though certain weekend Providence trains ran to Yawkey as late as 2007. Similar special trains continue to serve Foxboro station during football and soccer games and special events at Gillette Stadium.