The Orange Line was shut down for 30 days to make safety, track and signal improvements and the slow zones were expected to be lifted soon after, but for now some remain in effect
Frustrations on the Orange Line remain with slowdowns still in place two weeks after the historic shutdown ended with promises of faster, more efficient services.
“It’s slightly been improved. I mean there are parts where it goes slower and it can get annoying. You can miss your bus or get late to class or work,” one passenger said.
The T says slow zones remain between North Station and Assembly Square in Somerville. It’s the result of additional work that hadn’t been anticipated when the Orange Line reopened on September 19.
“There’s certainly been public frustration that the slow zones are still intact,” said Stacy Thompson of the Livablestreets Alliance.
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She’s a regular Orange Line rider and says extending the slow zones will help the T finish much-needed improvements.
”I think people expected a miracle overnight and maybe are coming to terms with the reality that this was the first step in what’s going to be a long process,” Thompson said.
The Orange Line was shut down for 30 days to make safety, track and signal improvements. It came as the MBTA faced a federal review that found immediate safety concerns in need of correction.
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For the most part, shuttle buses became the primary form of transportation with the trains out of service.
“You can’t blame them, right? Come on. They don’t want another accident and have to close it down for another month, right? Then we’ll all be jumping in the Mystic,” said a longtime passenger.
The T hopes all speed restrictions on the Orange Line will be lifted in the coming days.
