MBTA Works to Make Renovations for Winter

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, state officials and MBTA officials gathered in Braintree Friday to kick off the second phase of the Red Line Winter Resiliency Improvement Program.

The last 10 miles of the Red Line in Braintree and Ashmont will get upgraded beginning this weekend.

"It's mostly about the third rail, cleanup work around the stations, and a very significant amount of railroad ties," Baker explained. "Probably as much as 4,000 that will be replaced, as well as digging some new ditches."

The $30 million phase will compete the first part of the renovation. Upgrades were made on the Red Line from South Boston to Quincy last year. Renovations during the second phase will take the next nine weekends to complete.

The program is in an effort to avoid the same problems riders had to deal with two winters ago. Severe weather shut down lines and disrupted service routes for weeks.

Braintree got the worst of it. Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack said the new upgrades will not only fix winter issues, but many problems altogether.

"When we're done not only we be ready for the coming winter, but the overall T equipment will be in much better shape on this part of the Red Line for a very long time," she said.

MBTA officials say buses will replace train service for the next nine weekends. Renovations are expected to be completed in December.

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