April 24, 2023 |MBTA, News, Transportation

MBTA: May Service Changes Will Allow Crews to Continue Track Improvement Work Across System

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Service changes planned for the Blue, Red, Orange, Green, Silver, Greenbush, Kingston/Plymouth, Middleborough/Lakeville, Rockport, and Haverhill lines.

The MBTA today announced service changes in May on the Blue, Red, Orange, Green, and Silver lines as well as the Greenbush, Kingston/Plymouth, Middleborough/Lakeville, Rockport, and Haverhill lines. Throughout the month of May, the MBTA will continue working to improve service reliability across the system. Service changes have been scheduled to address critical work that will help to alleviate speed restrictions in certain areas. 

As previously announced, Blue Line evening weekday train service will be replaced with accessible shuttle buses between Government Center and Wonderland Stations beginning at approximately 8 PM on April 24-27 and May 1-4. Shuttle buses will not serve Bowdoin station. Shuttles bus schedules will work to match previous train frequency. This service change will allow MBTA crews to continue track work on the Blue Line that will alleviate speed restrictions. Crews will be replacing close to 2,000 feet of rail, over 450 ties, and perform more than 3,000 feet of tamping.

May service changes on the Red Line will continue to focus on track work:

• Accessible shuttle buses will replace regular train service between Park Street and JFK/UMass Stations during the weekend of May 6-7. This service change will allow MBTA crews to continue to perform critical rail and tie replacement work to alleviate speed restrictions in this area.
• Accessible shuttle bus service will replace evening weekday train service between JFK/UMass and Braintree Stations beginning at approximately 8:45 PM on May 8-12, May 15-19, May 22-25, and May 30-31. Riders are reminded that the Commuter Rail operates between South Station and Braintree and can be used as an alternative travel option during these service changes. This service change will allow MBTA crews to perform critical rail and tie replacement work on the Braintree Branch that will alleviate speed restrictions.
• Accessible shuttle buses will replace regular weekend Ashmont and Braintree branch train service between Broadway and Ashmont and Broadway and Braintree Stations during the weekends of May 13-14 and May 20-21. This service change will allow MBTA crews to perform work on the Savin Hill Bridge on the Ashmont branch as well as continued rail and tie replacement work on the Braintree branch.

The Greenbush, Kingston/Plymouth, and Middleborough/Lakeville Commuter Rail Lines, which run adjacent to the Red Line, will also experience service changes during the weekends of May 13-14 and May 20-21. 

• During the weekend of May 13-14, regular weekend train service will be replaced with shuttle buses between Braintree and South Stations. Passengers should note that bicycles are not allowed on shuttle buses, and regular Commuter Rail fares will be collected between Greenbush, Kingston/Plymouth, and Middleborough/Lakeville and Braintree Stations.
• During the weekend of May 20-21, regular weekend train service will be replaced with shuttle buses between Braintree and South Stations. Additionally, Middleborough/Lakeville Commuter Rail Line trains will be replaced with accessible shuttle bus service between Bridgewater and Middleborough/Lakeville to allow crews to perform work in support of South Coast Rail service. Passengers should note that bicycles are not allowed on shuttle buses, and regular Commuter Rail fares will be collected between Greenbush, Kingston/Plymouth, and Bridgewater and Braintree Stations.

Silver Line Routes 1, 2, and 3 will be re-routed to the street level around Courthouse Station beginning at approximately 8:45 PM on May 5 and during the weekend of May 6-7. This service change will allow for improvement work to take place at Courthouse.

Due to the continued demolition of the Government Center Garage by private developer HYM Construction,Orange and Green Line service changes will take place in the downtown Boston area during the weekends of May 13-14 and May 20-21. Orange Line trains will bypass Haymarket Station. Orange Line riders should instead exit at North Station or State, which are less than a half-mile from Haymarket (or a four- to eight-minute walk) and travel to the Haymarket area. Green Line trolley service will be suspended between North Station and Government Center Station with riders instead asked to walk above ground between these stations – Government Center, Haymarket, and North Station are each less than a half mile from each other (about a five- to 10-minute walk), and the distance between Government Center to North Station is about three-quarters of a mile (about a 13-minute walk). Accessibility vans will also be available for on-demand transportation – Orange and Green Line riders should ask MBTA personnel for information and assistance.

Green Line service will experience service changes during the weekend of May 27-28. On the B Branch, trains will bypass Kenmore Station with riders instead asked to exit at Blandford Street or Hynes Convention Center and travel back to the Kenmore area, which is less than a half mile (or about an eight- to 10-minute walk). On the C Branch, accessible shuttle buses will replace regular trolley service between Cleveland Circle and Copley Stations. On the D Branch, accessible shuttle bus service will replace regular trolley service between Fenway and Copley Stations. These service changes will allow crews to perform track work in various locations along the Green Line.

May service changes on the Rockport Commuter Rail Line will take place to support rock cutting efforts as well as Gloucester Drawbridge work:

• Regular train service will be replaced with accessible shuttle bus service between West Gloucester and Rockport Stations for 24 days from April 22-May 15 to perform rock cutting work. Passengers should note that bicycles are not allowed on shuttle buses, and regular Commuter Rail fares will be collected between West Gloucester and North Station.
• There will be no train service between Rockport and Beverly Stations during the weekend of May 6-7. This service change will allow crews to perform work on the Gloucester Drawbridge.

The MBTA is reminding riders that Haverhill Commuter Rail Line trains will be replaced with accessible shuttle bus service between Haverhill and Reading Stations for 16 days from April 22-May 7 to perform Automatic Train Control (ATC) work. ATC is a federally mandated safety system that sends signals to trains about potentially unsafe conditions, automatically slowing and stopping a train if needed. Passengers should note that bicycles are not allowed on shuttle buses, and regular Commuter Rail fares will be collected between Reading and North Station.

Signage will be in place during all scheduled changes in service to direct riders to shuttle bus stops. Extra MBTA personnel and Transit Ambassadors will also be on-hand to assist riders.

Riders are encouraged to subscribe to T-Alerts or to follow the MBTA on Twitter @MBTA for up-to-date service information.

The MBTA previously announced service changes taking place in April on the Red, Blue, Orange, Green, Fairmount, Franklin/Foxboro, and Haverhill lines. Riders are encouraged to visit mbta.com for a complete list.

The MBTA will announce additional service changes in advance as they are confirmed and scheduled. The MBTA apologizes for the inconvenience of these scheduled service changes, and appreciates the understanding and patience of riders as this critical and necessary work to maintain, upgrade, and modernize the system takes place.

For more information, please visit mbta.com/alerts, or connect with the T on Twitter @MBTA, Facebook /TheMBTA, Instagram @theMBTA, or TikTok @thembta.

The above information was submitted to us by the MBTA.