The MBTA has announced a new round of service changes impacting a number of subway and Commuter Rail lines in September, as it continues to work to boost reliability across the transit system.
Select stations on the Red, Green and Orange Lines will experience temporary service changes, which will also impact the Kingston, Middleborough, Greenbush, Newburyport/Rockport and Haverhill Commuter Rail lines.
Among the notable service changes are shuttle buses replacing trains along the Braintree Branch of the Red Line from North Quincy to Braintree at the following times:
- Beginning at approximately 8:45 PM through the end of service Tuesdays through Thursdays, September 5-7 and September 12-14, as well as Tuesday through Friday, September 19-22.
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- All day from start to end of service during the weekend of September 23-24.
The MBTA says that all the service impacts will allow the agency to work on "critical" projects and perform necessary inspections — some of which will stretch into October and November.
The T is asking its riders to check their website regularly for updated diversion schedules and to stay on top of the dates and times that certain stations will be closed, since they all vary.
In most cases, shuttle buses replace trains at the impacted stations. In other cases, like at Government Center, some riders may need to walk to North Station.
You can check train maps, service changes and schedules here.
Shuttles will also replace Red Line trains from Quincy Center to Braintree at around 8:45 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 8 and until the end of service Sunday, Sept. 10.
Here's the rest of the service changes coming to the MBTA system, as stated in a news release from the agency:
"Accessible shuttle bus service will also replace Red Line trains between Broadway and Ashmont Stations on the Ashmont Branch and between Broadway and North Quincy Stations on the Braintree Branch all day from start to end of service during the weekend of September 30-October 1. This service change allows MBTA crews to perform critical work on the Savin Hill Avenue and Dorchester Avenue bridges, to perform necessary tunnel inspections on the Ashmont Branch, and to accomplish station brightening work at JFK/UMass Station.
The Kingston, Middleborough, and Greenbush Commuter Rail lines, which run adjacent to the Red Line, will also experience service changes. Accessible shuttle bus service will replace trains between South Station and Braintree on the following dates:
- After 7:30 PM through the end of service Tuesdays through Thursdays on September 5-7 and September 12-14 as well as Tuesday through Friday September 19-22.
- All day from start to end of service during the weekends of September 9-10, September 23-24, and September 30-October 1.
- Accessible express shuttle bus service will also operate directly between South Station and Braintree Station.
- Passengers should note that bicycles are not allowed on shuttle buses, and regular Commuter Rail fares will be collected between Kingston, Middleborough, Greenbush, and Braintree Stations. Keolis Customer Service Agents, MBTA staff, and Transit Ambassadors will be on-site at impacted stations to support riders.
- The diversion schedule will be available online soon at mbta.com/CommuterRail.
Due to the continued demolition of the Government Center Garage by private developer HYM Construction, Orange and Green Line service changes will take place in the downtown Boston area all day for 25 days from September 18-October 12:
- Orange Line trains will bypass Haymarket Station. Orange Line riders should instead exit at North Station or State, less than a half-mile from Haymarket (or a four- to eight-minute walk), and travel to the Haymarket area.
- Green Line service will be suspended between North Station and Government Center Station. Riders are instead asked to walk above ground between these stations – Government Center, Haymarket, and North Station are each less than a half mile from each other (about a five- to 10-minute walk). The distance between Government Center to North Station is about three-quarters of a mile (about a 13-minute walk).
- Riders are also reminded that Orange Line / Green Line connections can also be made via the Winter Street Concourse, which connects Park Street and Downtown Crossing Stations.
- Accessibility vans will also be available for on-demand transportation – Orange and Green Line riders should ask MBTA personnel for information and assistance.
Accessible shuttle buses will replace Newburyport/Rockport Line trains between Swampscott and North Station during the weekend of September 9-10. This service change will allow for work on the future temporary platform at Lynn Station. There will be no service at Chelsea Station with passengers instead encouraged to utilize Silver Line 3 service. Passengers should note that bicycles are not allowed on shuttle buses. Regular train service will operate between Newburyport/Rockport and Swampscott with regular Commuter Rail fares collected. A dedicated diversion schedule will be in effect and is available on mbta.com.
As previously announced, accessible shuttle buses will replace Haverhill Line trains between Ballardvale and North Station for 58 days from September 9-November 5. This service change allows crews to perform Automatic Train Control (ATC) work. ATC is a federally mandated safety system that sends signals to trains about potentially unsafe conditions, automatically slowing and stopping a train if needed. Shuttle buses will replace train service between Reading and Oak Grove where passengers can make an Orange Line subway connection. A shuttle bus will also provide service between Reading and Anderson/Woburn for connections to the Lowell Line and Haverhill Line. The shuttle service between Reading and Oak Grove will make stops in Wakefield, Greenwood, Melrose Highlands, Melrose Cedar Park, Wyoming Hill, and Oak Grove. Train service for passengers between Ballardvale and Haverhill will be re-routed along the Lowell Line after Ballardvale, making one additional stop at Anderson/Woburn station then running express to North Station. A dedicated diversion schedule will be in effect and will be available online soon."
