The Blue Line is the shortest MBTA rail line and also the only one to terminate in Downtown Boston. Constructed in 1904, it was the first public transportation tunnel in North America to run underwater and connect to a commercial airfield. In 1924, heavy rail replaced the street cars and renovations over the course of six decades expanded underground tunnel service to connect Maverick to new stations at Boston Harbor and the Aquarium to eliminate the need for passenger to exit the train and board a ferry to reach Downtown.
The line was redesignated "Blue" in 1965, as part of the new color-based rebranding (The color blue represented water, as the line passes under Boston Harbor and travels near the coast for much of its length.
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History
The creation of the Silver Line began with the demolition of the Washington Street Elevated Orange Line (operational, 1901–1987). The Silver Line was born from a promise of “equal or better” service to residents of Roxbury who lost access to rapid transportation when the Orange Line shifted from Washington Street to Centre Street. However, one of the major criticisms of the service is that [the Silver Line] behaves just like a city bus — with all the traffic delays and slow boarding that entails. Dudley Station, the cornerstone and commercial center of the Roxbury neighborhood, is the only remaining station structure that once served the Washington Street area. The SL4 and SL5 were added to the existing Silver Line in 2009. Future plans for the Silver Line include an expansion (called the SL6) to Chelsea. The SL4 and SL 5 each service approximately 14,000 riders per day.
The Blue Line was constructed in 1904 as the East Boston Tunnel where a fleet of streetcars shuttled workers from East Boston to downtown. It was the first North American subway to run beneath a body of water, the Boston Harbor. The line serviced street cars until it was replaced by high platform rapid transit in 1924 to increase passenger load. The Blue Line was finished through Suffolks Downs Station in 1995. The Blue Line services approximately 63,000 riders per day.
