BOSTON (WHDH) - The Federal Transit Administration is slated to release and discuss their findings from a months-long investigation of the MBTA on Wednesday.
The investigation studied multiple safety lapses involving MBTA services, including cases of runaway trains, derailments, and a death at the Red Line’s Broadway station. Other high-profile incidents involved an Orange Line breakdown and fire over the Mystic River that led to hundreds of passengers evacuating the train.
Back in June, the FTA released a report blasting the MBTA and the state Department of Public Utilities, which oversees the T, finding both departments had system-wide problems that were in need of attention.
At the time, officials issued special directives that could not wait for what would end up likely being Wednesday’s final report. The problems included operations control center employees working 20-hour shifts and returning to work after only 4 hours off, along with 80% of heavy rail subway dispatchers having lapsed safety certifications at one point.
The MBTA went on to implement new upgrades, safety directives, and trainings in the weeks that followed.
Wednesday’s FTA report will come nearly three weeks into the MBTA’s unprecedented 30-day shutdown of the Orange Line. As of Sunday, Aug. 28, MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said 37% of the scheduled work on the line was complete.
The shutdown work is scheduled to finish by September 18.
The report is expected Wednesday morning, with a discussion involving FTA officials scheduled for 10:30 a.m.
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