BOSTON (WHDH) - The Orange Line’s 30-day shutdown is underway and steps are still being taken by the City of Boston to address the impact of having no rail service for thousands of regular T riders.
“We’re making every possible tweak that we can,” Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said at a press conference Saturday.
The mayor said there have been teams of city staff and officials working overtime, riding the shuttles that replaced the Orange Line to take notes and make changes ahead of the bus service’s first real test: the morning commute on Monday.
“Every possible detail, from tree branches that extend out a little too far at the bus windshield’s height to turning radiuses to the routes of shuttle buses going to specific schools within Boston – we have been mapping all of this out,” Wu said.
Wu said the city will be doing all it can above ground as the MBTA does its work below, telling reporters that “it’s up to the T” to make sure repair operations going on underground go according to plan, and that they “make the repairs as quickly and efficiently as possible.”
“They have to get it done,” Wu said.
Among other efforts to help with shuttles, the city has been assembling hubs- surrogate bus stations- to connect disrupted commuters.
At Government Center, State Street is being closed between Congress and Washington Streets, while Dartmouth Street is being closed between St. James and Boylston Street near Copley Square. Additionally, the northbound lanes of Washington Street are being closed near the Forest Hill station.
An Orange Line rider herself, Wu said despite the shuttles and bike options, the Commuter Rail option being offered is likely the best alternative for commuters. Throughout the shutdown, riders can use the Commuter Rail in Boston at no charge by showing a CharlieCard or CharlieTicket on board.
All the same, the mayor said she plans on taking a shuttle bus on Monday to see for herself what commuters are in for at the start of the work week.
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