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    1. Rail
    2. Infrastructure

    MBTA announces results of four winter 2020 Orange Line diversions

    Feb. 20, 2020
    The results of its efforts to accelerate system investments include track replacement, platform repairs and station improvements.
    Related To: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)
    MBTA
    Mbta 5e4ebd58324db

    The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has announced the results from its four weekend diversions on the Orange Line from January to February, which included the replacement of approximately 1,400 feet of track, platform repairs and other station improvements at several Orange Line stations.

    The accelerated work is part of the T’s ongoing $8-billion, five-year infrastructure investment program, which focuses investments on core infrastructure with the goal of expediting improvements to the safety and reliability of the MBTA.   

    “Through these four weekend diversions on the Orange Line, the MBTA was able to make system investments resulting in noticeable improvements in service that would otherwise have taken over five months under traditional methods,” said MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak. “While we understand these diversions create an inconvenience, they provide the opportunity to proactively plan for replacement service, communicate our plans to customers and increase the amount of work that can take place during a single diversion.”

    During the four closures, the MBTA was able to replace approximately 1,400 linear feet of track on the Orange Line at North Station, State and Haymarket. Specifically, track replacement in both directions at North Station totaled 1,040 feet; 150 feet of track was replaced at State; and 204 feet of track was replaced at Haymarket. 

    In some cases, station track is more than 30-years old, and while still safe, has reached its serviceable life. Following track work, the MBTA typically implements speed restrictions as a safety precaution, and customers should expect these to last for several days while the T monitors the proper settlement and consolidation of new track and stone ballast. Speed restrictions are lifted once engineers have confirmed proper settlement has occurred.

    Additional Orange Line work during the four diversions included:

    • Replacement of tactile edges in both directions at Chinatown, Haymarket and North Station;
    • Platform edge repairs at Chinatown, Downtown Crossing, State, Haymarket and North Station;
    • Painting of the track area at Haymarket in the southbound direction;
    • 240 linear feet of tie replacement;
    • The overhaul of 37 fare gates at Community College, North Station, Tufts Medical Center and Sullivan Square;
    • Stair repairs at Downtown Crossing and Chinatown.

    These four diversions are in addition to previously planned investments in 2020 that seek to improve service, safety and reliability on a faster timeline. The scope of projects planned for this year will include additional diversions of weekend service on all rapid transit lines and several commuter rail lines. In addition to a few weekend diversions on the Green Line, the MBTA is planning for two, one-month shutdowns on the Green Line’s C Branch in July and the E Branch in August.   

    The 2020 Infrastructure Acceleration Plan schedule compresses a series of core investments that would have taken eight years under traditional methods into just one, and will result in improved service that is safer, faster and more reliable.