BOSTON (WHDH) - The Orange and Green Lines are back in service Monday morning after a 30-day shutdown.
The entire Orange Line was shut down after several incidents on the line, including a loose piece of metal that caused the train to smoke, leading passengers to evacuate out the train’s windows.
Those who relied on the shuttle buses for the duration of the shutdown said they’re eager for service to return, which will also reduce their commute times.
Still, another rider decided to catch an Uber Monday morning because she said the T was late.
“It was a very lousy service,” said Faye Coppin, who said she was late to work. “They should’ve kept the shuttle buses in place until they certified that the service was running correctly.”
MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak asked riders to remember that “slow zones” will be in place for a few days.
“As the week progresses, the rides will get faster as we do our inspections,” he said. “We’re getting back into the groove of running the trains.”
“With the huge shuttle buses off our roads now, I think we’ll start to see an improvement in traffic and congestion, even in these next few days,” Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said. “Our hope is that there will be more people getting on the train, seeing that it is an experience you can count on, you can rely on.”
The Green Line was also shut down from Union Square to Government Center. That section of the line was closed for work on the Government Center Garage project, as well as to facilitate the opening of the Green Line Extension to Medford, which is expected to open November 2022.
Shuttle buses replaced both lines for the duration of the shutdown.
Test trains were up and running throughout Sunday as crews finished making repairs before riders return to platforms early Monday morning.
MBTA officials said that they have laid down over 45,000 feet of new signal cable, as well as the replacement of 12,320 feet of rail and 3,500 feet of full-depth track. The MBTA expects commute speeds to improve after the upgrade. They also said they were able to complete five years’ worth of work in the monthlong shutdown on the Orange Line.
The MBTA also announced updates to the rail line’s Oak Grove station, and added that 72 Orange Line cars were ready for service.
Riders will have more than a 50% chance of riding new Orange Line cars.
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