MA: MBTA repair schedule: When to expect closures from now through June

Portions of the MBTA will shut down for rare week-long periods between now and June, to go along with intermittent weekend closures, as Greater Boston’s public transit agency attempts to maintain last year’s progress on its much-needed repairs.

T riders can expect eight-day closures on a chunk of the Red Line in April, on two different sections of the Orange Line in May and June, and on about half of the Blue Line in June. But first, riders will see sections of multiple subway and Commuter Rail lines shut down on weekends in late January and February.

The projects were planned “strategically to minimize the disruption for MBTA customers,” state Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits Nutt said in a statement.

She said last year’s repairs, when T maintenance crews cleared the entire transit network of slow zones, and the upcoming projects “set the foundation for consistently reliable service.”

Here’s what to know about the upcoming repairs and closures on each line.

For all changes to train service, full details on alternate travel options — including free shuttle buses or other railway lines — can be found on the MBTA’s website.

Red Line

The T will close the Red Line between JFK/UMass and Braintree stations this weekend, Jan. 25-26, to upgrade the network’s signal systems, a vital piece of infrastructure that controls train movement.

“The new upgraded signal system will allow for more frequent service, improved scheduling, and enhanced safety,” the agency said in a statement. “By upgrading its signals, the MBTA expects to significantly increase operational efficiency, reducing wait times and improving scheduling reliability for all riders.”

The same section of the Red Line will be closed again for two weekends in February — Feb. 8-9 and Feb. 22-23.

The MBTA also anticipates closing the Red Line from Ashmont to JFK/UMass from April 1-9 for “proactive rail maintenance,” the agency said.

Expanded details on the Red Line closures and alternate travel can be found on the MBTA’s website, linked here.

Orange Line

The Orange Line will not run between Oak Grove and North Station from roughly 8:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 31, through the rest of that weekend. MBTA officials said the closure will allow for “critical work” on the state’s replacement of two deteriorated bridges on the border between East Boston and Somerville and repairs to bicycle, pedestrian and transit infrastructure.

The Orange Line will be closed in the same section two weekends later, beginning around 8:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 14, and continuing through Presidents’ Day that Monday, Feb. 17.

The MBTA also plans to close the Oak Grove to North Station section of the Orange Line from May 10-18 to make way for work on the East Boston and Somerville bridge project. From June 21-29, the agency plans to close the Orange Line from North Station to Forest Hills for signal system upgrades.

Expanded details on the Orange Line closures and alternate travel can be found on the MBTA’s website, linked here.

Green Line and Blue Line

Portions of all four Green Line branches will close on the weekend of Feb. 22-23.

On the B branch, service will be suspended between North Station and Babcock Street. On the C and D branches, line will not run between North Station and Kenmore. On the E branch, trains will not run between North Station and Heath Street.

The closures will allow for “regular, planned maintenance work,” the MBTA said. “This maintenance work will address routine needs, ensure that all infrastructure is in peak operating condition, and includes inspections, adjustments, and repairs to keep the system safe and running smoothly.”

T officials also plan to close the Blue Line between Bowdoin and Airport stations from June 7-15 for unspecified infrastructure work, they said.

Expanded details on the Green Line and Blue Line closures and alternate travel can be found on the MBTA’s website, linked here.

Commuter Rail

Two Commuter Rail lines will also see closures in the coming weeks.

The Newburyport/Rockport line will not run between North Station and Swampscott on the weekends of Feb. 1-2 and Feb. 15-16. On the same weekends, the Haverhill line will not run between Ballardvale and North Station.

Like the Orange Line closures, the disruptions to Commuter Rail service will make time for work on the state’s bridge replacement in East Boston and Somerville.

More service shutdowns on the same sections of the Commuter Rail are expected on the weekends of March 8-9, March 22-23, April 5-6, and April 24-27 — though MBTA officials said the exact dates “are subject to change.”

Additional weekend construction is planned for the Commuter Rail’s Lowell, Franklin, Worcester, Needham and Fitchburg lines, though the T has yet to announce a schedule for the work.

Expanded details on the Commuter Rail closures and alternate travel can be found on the MBTA’s website, linked here.

While the list of pending closures is long, it remains far less extensive than the T’s repair schedule in 2024.

Riders were frequently diverted to shuttle buses last year, sometimes for multiple weeks in a row, as maintenance crews cleared a deep backlog of projects. The work allowed the T to lift roughly 200 slow zones, areas where the delayed repairs had limited train speeds.

In December, MBTA Chief Operating Officer Ryan Coholan told MassLive the agency, much like its passengers, “[doesn’t] want to have to relive” last year’s headaches.

In 2025, the MBTA aims to schedule maintenance work for weekends to limit the effect on weekday commuters. Certain work can also be completed by running trains in both directions on a single section of track, allowing train service to continue with some delays.

“2025 is not going to look anything like 2024 did,” Coholan pledged.

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