BOSTON (WHDH) - The MBTA announced shuttle busses will replace evening service on the Red Line’s Braintree branch for several nights in August, just as it announced Orange Line work previously set to begin July 29 and last for a month has been rescheduled.
Starting on Monday, from August 1-4, then 8-11, shuttles will replace Braintree service at approximately 9 p.m. through the line’s end of service time.
In a statement, MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said the T will be receiving safety enhancements, as well as track and maintenance work as the MBTA continues to work with the Federal Transit Administration.
“We know any diversions in service can be frustrating for riders, but these evening diversions allow us to address necessary track repairs and speed restrictions on the Braintree branch, which will lead to a faster trip for Red Line riders,” Poftak said.
An MBTA announcement added that free shuttle buses will make all stops between JFK/UMass and Braintree stations during the evening weekday switches.
For commuters, the news has some rethinking their method of transportation.
“It makes me want to get a bike a little bit,” one rider told 7NEWS. “I’ve tried buses in the past, I don’t know, they just seem slower and more crowded. I’m really hoping they find a way to make the T more reliable.”
“I’m a working man and I work in downtown, and it kind of disrupts everything,” another said.
In the case of the Orange Line, the MBTA did not specify when the work would be completed, nor did they say why they delayed the work. Shuttle buses were set to replace trains between the Oak Grove and Wellington stations from July 29 to August 28 to complete track and signal work.
The delay follows a number of troubling incidents on the Orange Line, including last week when a train caught fire on a bridge over the Mystic River, forcing passengers to evacuate.
According to the MBTA, while they are pausing the work, they are exploring additional opportunities to accelerate work on the Orange Line, and will keep riders updated.
“Officials want to revisit the original plan and broaden its scope to weigh other repairs and maintenance that would be easier to complete with trains offline,” an MBTA spokesperson told 7NEWS.
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