NEWTON, MASS. (WHDH) - The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority plans to shut down sections of the T this fall to make repairs to a transit system that has been plagued with problems, a spokesperson confirmed.
The MBTA has experienced six train derailments so far in 2019, including one most recently on the Green Line at Riverside Station in Newton last Wednesday.
Closures of the different lines will be implemented between October and December to allow for much-needed repairs.
In June, Gov. Charlie Baker announced as part of the $8 billion, five-year plan to modernize the MBTA, transportation officials would speed up planned work to improve the system faster.
“Riders deserve a reliable, safe transportation system and while we understand this accelerated plan will be inconvenient for some riders, we believe these temporary diversions are necessary to improve the system that has been neglected for decades,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “The MBTA will continue to evaluate upcoming planned projects for this fall and next year for additional opportunities to accelerate work where possible.”
Orange Line
Eight stations from Tufts Medical Center to Sullivan Square will be shut down for six weekends in October and early November. This will affect up to 145,000 people each weekend, according to an MBTA spokesperson.
Red Line
Six stations from Broadway to Kendall Square will close for four weeks in late November and early December. This will affect up to 155,000 people each weekend, an MBTA spokesperson said.
Green Line
Along with 14 weeks of previously planned closures along the D branch, parts of the B or C branches will be shut down over four weekends.
Buses will be provided along the lines to replace the T service during the closures.
“We know that diversions in service are an inconvenience in the short term, but these shutdowns will allow us to quicken the pace of investments in the system more efficiently and effectively,” MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said in a statement.
The MBTA Fiscal and Management Control Board is scheduled to meet Monday to discuss ways to improve the public transportation system.
Board members are expected to talk about programs to keep passengers safe, as well as the ongoing Red Line repairs stemming from a major derailment that destroyed the signal system at JFK/UMass Station in June.
MBTA officials announced last week that repairs to the station won’t be completed until October.
MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak also announced a plan to undertake additional acceleration plans in the near future.
The accelerated projects include:
Green Line Intersection Upgrades: The MBTA is making 30 intersection upgrades on the B and C branches to mitigate the risk of service interruptions by replacing aged track.
- The acceleration plan condenses planned work by five months, by increasing the number of weekend diversions from 10 to 14 on these branches.
- This will help complete the project by December 2019 instead of May 2020.
- The T will now also replace 7,000 feet of track during the planned weekend diversions.
- Green Line D branch shutdowns are already scheduled for the weekends of September 14-15, September 21-22, September 28-29, October 5-6, October 12-13, October 26-27, November 2-3, November 9-10, November 16-17, November 23-24, December 7-8, December 14-15, December 21-22, and December 28-29.
- Three new weekend closures on the Green Line B branch will take place during the weekends of September 7-8, November 2-3, and November 23-24.
- One new weekend closure on the Green Line C branch will take place on October 26-27.
Red Line: Park Street Wayfinding and Station Improvements: The MBTA is replacing and adding new wayfinding signage, adding 1,250 new lighting fixtures, and cleaning, painting, and repairing stairs/tile within the station.
- The acceleration plan condenses planned work by four months, by doing four new weekend diversions on the Red Line in November and December 2019.
- This will help complete the project by December 2019 instead of April 2020.
- The T will now also replace 900 feet of track and do tactile edge replacement on platforms during the diversions.
- Four new weekend diversions will take place between Kendall/MIT and Broadway on November 16-17, November 23-24, December 7-8, and December 14-15.
Red Line: Downtown Crossing Wayfinding and Station Improvements: The MBTA is replacing and adding new wayfinding signage, and cleaning, painting, and repairing stairs/tile within the station.
- The acceleration plan condenses planned work by 11 months, by doing four new weekend diversions on the Red Line in November and December 2019.
- This will help complete the project by December 2019 instead of November 2020.
- The T will also replace 900 feet of track and do tactile edge replacement work on platforms during the diversions.
- Four new weekend diversions will take place between Kendall/MIT and Broadway on November 16-17, November 23-24, December 7-8, and December 14-15.
Orange Line: Downtown Crossing, Haymarket, and State Wayfinding and Station Improvements: The MBTA is replacing and adding new signage and cleaning, painting, and repairing stairs/tile within the station.
- The acceleration project will condense the project timeline by 11 months through six new weekend diversions on the Orange Line in October and November 2019.
- The T will also now replace 2,250 feet of track and clean and paint within Chinatown Station.
- Six new weekend diversions will take place between Tufts Medical Center and Sullivan Square on October 5-6, October 12-13, October 19-20, October 26-27, November 2-3, and November 9-10.
The MBTA says the projects will mitigate the risk of service interruptions, improve safety for passengers, improve on-time performance, increase accessibility, and improve the customer experience.
To read the full MBTA report, click here.
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)