This week, the MBTA announced several planned system upgrade construction projects will be accelerated, shortening some timelines by as much as 11 months for certain projects.
System upgrade work to improve reliability for riders on the Green, Red, and Orange Lines that was previously scheduled to take place only during limited overnight hours will now take place during entire weekends, requiring shuttle service around certain stations, including on the Orange Line between Tufts Medical and Sullivan Square in October.
The accelerated work plans approved by the Fiscal and Management Control Board will deliver benefits to riders significantly faster and allow T crews to undertake multiple projects at the same time as opposed to performing projects one after the other during the limited overnight hours.
In June, the Baker-Polito Administration 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. MBTA officials also announced they plan to undertake additional acceleration plans in the near future.
“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.”
Accelerated Projects:
• 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.
Six new weekend closures on the Orange Line between Tufts Medical Center and Sullivan Square Stations will take place in October and November 2019 to accelerate the pace of Orange Line improvement work. As with the Red Line’s broad limits in added weekend closures, the broad limits between Tufts Medical Center and Sullivan Square are necessary as these areas are “portal” access points for work crews to load in construction equipment and materials into the underground portions of the Orange Line. During these weekend shutdowns, alternate service will be provided with a robust communication plan in place to provide information to customers.
Work specific to improvements on the Orange Line levels at Downtown Crossing, Haymarket, and State Stations will take place during these six new weekends, including improvements to the condition and appearance of each station, upgraded wayfinding/signage, cleaning work, painting, and other needed repairs. The addition of these six weekend shutdowns allows the MBTA to complete work on the Orange Line level of these three stations almost a year earlier than previously planned.
MBTA crews and contractors will also remove and completely replace the pit track in closed Orange Line stations during these six weekend closures, which would not be accessible to work crews without a complete shutdown. The Orange Line pit track in these areas is 30 to 40 years old and, while safe to travel over at reduced speeds, is also ready to be replaced. The broad closure limits on the Orange Line during these six added weekends in October and November 2019 also give the MBTA a valuable work window to perform repairs to platform edges, escalators, elevators, stairways, and fare equipment; perform track and power maintenance in the tunnels between stations, including the complete replacement of third rail insulators and third rail electrical connections; and perform tunnel debris clean-up work, reducing the risk of smoke and fire hazards.
•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.
o The acceleration plan condenses planned work by five months, by increasing the number of weekend diversions from 10 to 14 on these branches.
o This will help complete the project by December 2019 instead of May 2020.
o The T will now also replace 7,000 feet of track during the planned weekend diversions.
o 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.
o 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.
o 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.
o The acceleration plan condenses planned work by four months, by doing four new weekend diversions on the Red Line in November and December 2019.
o This will help complete the project by December 2019 instead of April 2020.
o The T will now also replace 900 feet of track and do tactile edge replacement on platforms during the diversions.
o 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.
o The acceleration plan condenses planned work by 11 months, by doing four new weekend diversions on the Red Line in November and December 2019.
o This will help complete the project by December 2019 instead of November 2020.
o The T will also replace 900 feet of track and do tactile edge replacement work on platforms during the diversions.
o 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.
These projects will mitigate the risk of service interruptions, improve safety for passengers, improve on-time performance, increase accessibility, and improve the customer experience.
The MBTA is also in the process of preparing an aggressive schedule of shutdowns for the 2020 construction season that may include weekday shutdowns in addition to a greater frequency of weekend shutdowns. Details of this plan are anticipated to be released in fall 2019.