Baker: Accelerated Work Will Improve Blue Line Service

For the MBTA, the COVID-19 pandemic has presented both challenges and opportunities.

Gov. Charlie Baker was in East Boston on Wednesday to highlight the ways decreased ridership during the economic shutdown has allowed the MBTA to expedite projects like the replacement of track, fare gates and other Blue Line infrastructure.

The project, which is expected to improve service and is part of an $8 billion MBTA modernization plan, will be completed in two weeks, as opposed to the 12 to 14 weeks originally blocked off for it, with work to be done on weekends.

But the challenges are also front and center. With many trains already running with few passengers, new polling suggests that as much as two-thirds of residents would be hesitant to return public transportation.

"Buses, ferries and trains are unique environments. Fighting the virus in these settings is only possible through shared responsibility," Baker said.

MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said the MBTA would be implementing crowding thresholds based on recommendations from the World Health Organization. For instance, a bus with 58 people used to be considered crowded. Now the threshold will be 20 passengers, at which point the T will attempt to deploy additional buses or take other steps to reduce crowding.

"The new normal for the T will very much be dictated by crowding thresholds," Poftak said.