Welp, it’s come to this: I’m reviewing a bus stop. But no, this is a station! After all, doesn’t it say “Silver Line Way Station” on the MBTA website? Oh man, I feel a lot better now.

The outbound…”platform”.

There really isn’t much to this so-called station, of course. Silver Line way truly is just a bus stop, with a single shelter and wastebasket on either side. This is also the dreaded place where buses have to change from electric to diesel power or vice versa, although problems with the conversion are becoming less frequent.

A Silver Line Way shuttle coming into the stop.

Two buses, with an SL2 performing the conversion to electric power.

“Station”: Silver Line Way

Ridership: Aw yeah, Silver Line Way gets soooooooo much ridership – a whole 870 people per weekday! Wow! That being said, whenever there’s an event at the nearby Blue Hills Bank Pavilion, I’m sure this station gets a huge ridership spike.

Pros: Ummmmm…well, at least they’re shelters and not stops! Silver Line Way isn’t quite the bare minimum that it could be.

Cons: You know what, I don’t care that this place is just a bus shelter. Do you know what I do care about? THIS STATION CLAIMS TO BE ACCESSIBLE WHEN IT’S NOT. Yes, it’s fine with the Silver Line Way shuttles, which stop curbside coming inbound. But SL1s and SL2s? Oh, no, they have to take the second lane! So riders have to step down from the curb at the stop and cross a lane to board the bus. Really?? Just put a freaking ramp in the curb and you’re fine! It’s not that hard! Also, a slightly more nitpicky problem I have is that the shelters have maps that say that the Silver Line is still under construction. Again…really???

Nearby and Noteworthy: World Trade Center has most of the Seaport attractions you would want to visit, but Silver Line Way does serve a few nearby restaurants on Northern Ave. There’s also the Blue Hills Bank Pavilion, of course, which has some really big names performing soon.

Final Verdict: 5/10 (formerly 2/10)
Well, first of all, it’s just a bus stop. That said, I really don’t mind that it’s a bus stop. However, claiming that a station is accessible when it’s arguably not is big. All they need to do is indent the curb a bit for a ramp and it would be fine! But currently, that big curb drop is no good for wheelchairs. And the sad thing is that it’s a super easy fix, but no one seems to want to do it.

Addendum: This bus stop is in fact wheelchair accessible. All buses pull up to the first lane, which is curbside. Sorry!

Latest MBTA News: Service Updates