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    1. Rail
    2. Infrastructure

    Baker-Polito Administration highlights MBTA’s accelerated Blue Line work

    May 28, 2020
    This work comes as part of the agency’s plan to quicken the pace of infrastructure projects in 2020 and the MBTA says it is assessing whether other projects can be further accelerated.
    Related To: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)
    MBTA
    Crew members unload new rail from a swing loader for track replacement on the Blue Line near Bowdoin.
    Crew members unload new rail from a swing loader for track replacement on the Blue Line near Bowdoin.

    Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, Massachusetts Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) General Manager Steve Poftak, along with other officials, toured the ongoing accelerated infrastructure work taking place on the Blue Line at Maverick Station.

    A full closure of the Blue Line between Bowdoin and Airport Stations began May 18, with shuttle buses replacing service for 14 consecutive days, including both weekdays and weekends, through the end of service on May 31.

    “This Blue Line work is part of our administration’s plan to invest $8 billion in a safer and more reliable MBTA by replacing over 400 cars across the Red and Orange Lines, modernizing stations and upgrading track, signal and other key infrastructure across the system,” said Gov. Baker. “These infrastructure upgrades on the Blue Line, including important flood resilience work within the harbor tunnel, will provide faster, more reliable service for travelers and commuters.”

    Secretary/CEO Pollack added, “This core infrastructure Blue Line work is part of the Baker-Polito Administration’s $8 billion plan to repair, upgrade and modernize the MBTA system to ensure safe and reliable service. While we continue to urge the public to only make essential trips during the pandemic, the T is moving ahead with capital projects and continuing to plan for more opportunities to get work done faster in 2020.”

    This work comes as part of the agency’s plan to quicken the pace of infrastructure projects in 2020 and the MBTA says it is assessing whether other projects can be further accelerated. This Blue Line work was previously scheduled to be accomplished through a series of weekend diversions later this year, and doing the work now allows its completion at a time when both transit ridership and traffic on the roadways that shuttle buses use is much lower than it is likely to be by the fall.

    In compliance with the commonwealth’s Reopening Massachusetts Report, riders are also reminded that face coverings are required while onboard shuttle buses. Additionally, to promote social distancing and protect the health and safety of MBTA riders and bus operators, ridership on shuttle buses is limited to 20 passengers. The MBTA is also operating additional shuttle buses than originally planned with a fleet of shuttles on standby to accommodate ridership demands as needed.

    In an effort to provide additional social distancing measures as well as ease crowding onboard both area bus routes and the Blue Line, the MBTA announced earlier this month that Zone 1A fares will temporarily be accepted at Lynn Commuter Rail Station on the Newburyport/Rockport Line through May 31. This temporary Zone 1A fare provides another travel option for riders that typically transfer to the Blue Line at Wonderland Station and additional North Shore customers affected by the temporary Blue Line shutdown who travel to and from downtown Boston.

    Blue Line construction is part of the MBTA’s $8 billion Building a Better T program to replace subway fleets, modernize stations and upgrade tracks, signals and switches. In 2019, the MBTA executed a plan to expedite projects for customers, delivering projects 2.2 years faster than originally planned across the Red, Orange and Green Lines. Building off this accelerated work, the MBTA launched its 2020 Infrastructure Acceleration Plan in February 2020, aimed at improving service, safety and reliability on faster timelines through temporary shutdowns and diversions in service for several subway lines and the commuter rail. The 2020 Plan will deliver projects eight years faster than originally planned, and will result in track replacement, upgraded intersections and station improvements. 

    Work accomplished during this 14-day shutdown builds off track replacement work that took place at Bowdoin during last fall’s weekend diversions as part of the 2019 capital acceleration plan.

    This current work includes:

    • The installation of a new truck pad near Airport Station;
    • Replacing 2,200 feet of track along the Blue Line that will remove a long-standing speed restriction between Maverick and Aquarium, effectively reducing trip times by up to 51 seconds between Airport and Maverick (one way);
    • Harbor tunnel leak mitigation and drainage work between Maverick and Aquarium that will reduce water-/leak-related service delays, improving reliability; and
    • Fire standpipe relocation between Maverick and Aquarium.

    Accomplishing this work during 14 consecutive days allows this work to be finished more than 2 months sooner than previously planned. Sections of track between Bowdoin and Airport are also currently being scheduled to close in August 2020 for additional work on harbor tunnel improvements.