BOSTON (WHDH) - Boston Mayor Michelle Wu says she sympathizes with MBTA riders who have been inconvenience by recent slow-downs as a result of safety inspections and is confident Gov. Maura Healey will appoint the right general manager to address the issues.
“It’s just like one thing after another for all commuters,” Wu said Saturday. “I know what it feels like when you get to the T station and immediately you begin to feel your body tensing up because you’re like, OK, what’s the sign going to say today? Is there going to be a delay? Is it going to be 20 minutes to the next train?”
Wu said she is confident that Healey will make a solid pick for MBTA GM, a decision Healey says is due to be announced in the coming days.
“We need to make sure that leadership is able to hit the ground running, is able to hit the ground running … I know the governor and her team are taking the time they need to make the right decision here.”
Wu’s comments came a day after MBTA Interim General Manager Jeff Gonneville said restrictions were lifted on the Red, Orange, and Blue lines except for in localized areas. Gonneville said that restrictions would remain in place on the Green and Mattapan lines, where necessary inspections may take until Monday.
Shuttle buses could be seen transporting riders near Government Center station on Saturday.
The restrictions came in response to findings from a site visit by the Department of Public Utilities on Monday of this week, which involved checking on track maintenance conditions on the Red Line between Ashmont and Savin Hill stations, according to the MBTA.
The next day, the DPU sent the MBTA letters laying out a list of areas where immediate action needed to be taken. Some of the problem areas included track conditions, third rail insulators, headlight use within tunnels, and PPE compliance. The DPU also asked the T to investigate two incidents of operators overshooting the station entirely.
The new restrictions came weeks after the T announced a new slow zone report last month detailing existing restrictions.
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