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Weekend shutdowns ahead on the Orange and Green lines

Commuters board an Orange Line shuttle bus at Sullivan Station during the month-long shutdown in August 2022. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)
Commuters board an Orange Line shuttle bus at Sullivan Station during the month-long shutdown in August 2022. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

The MBTA has announced a series of weekend shutdowns on the Orange and Green lines that runs through February.

The agency said ongoing demolition of the Government Center parking garage is behind the disruption, which will impact trains running between Ruggles and North Station on the Orange Line, and Government Center and North Station on the Green Line. But the closure extends far beyond that construction site, and covers a track that was reportedly repaired during last year's month-long shutdown.

In a statement released on Jan. 26, the T also announced a one-weekend diversion on the Red Line and a nine-day suspension on part of the Haverhill Commuter Rail to perform structural improvements unrelated to the demolition project.

The first of the shutdowns went into effect Jan. 28-29 on the Orange Line. (Below we outline a list of the scheduled shutdowns.)

Following the delay announcement, Gov. Maura Healey reiterated her commitment to hiring a new general manager to lead the troubled agency, which was the target of a federal investigation last year.

"We're moving through that search very quickly. I want to get the best possible person and team in place so that these things stop happening," Healey said.

She said hiring a new GM is a "weeks, not months, scenario."

Construction crews will take advantage of the scheduled suspensions on the Orange Line to perform work that the agency didn't complete during last summer's month-long shut down. These include replacing rail fasteners on the tracks between Back Bay and Ruggles stations, one of several stretches that have seen significant slowdowns since the Orange Line reopened.

Some of the diversions on the Red Line will also eliminate a slowdown near the Harvard Station.

Beyond February, riders can expect additional weekend disruptions from the Government Center garage demolition, and T officials said to be prepared: "The MBTA apologizes for this inconvenience and will announce additional service changes in advance as they are confirmed and scheduled. Riders are encouraged to subscribe to T-Alerts or to follow the MBTA on Twitter for up-to-date service information."

Here is a list of what lines are closed, and alternative ways for getting around :

Orange Line:

  • Feb. 4-5 and Feb. 18-19: Shutdown between Ruggles and North Station.
  • Feb. 11 (until 8 p.m.): Shutdown between Back Bay and North Station.
  • The T said riders should consider the following alternatives during the closures:
    • Take the Green Line between Copley and Government Center stations.
    • The agency will also run free shuttle buses running between Copley on the Green Line and Ruggles on the Orange Line, making stops at Back Bay and Massachusetts Avenue stations.



Green Line:

  • Feb. 4-5 and Feb. 18-19: Shutdown between North Station and Government Center. Free shuttle buses available these weekends.
  • Feb. 11 (until 8pm): Shutdown between North Station and Government Center.
  • Alternative: Riders can take free shuttle buses running between North Station and Government Center.

Haymarket:

  • Feb. 25-26: Orange and Green line trains will bypass Haymarket.
  • To access the area, riders will have to exit at an earlier (North Station or State on the Orange Line; North Station or Government center on the Green Line), then walk.

Red Line:

  • Feb. 25-26: Shutdown between Alewife and Kendal/MIT.
  • Alternative: Riders can take free shuttle buses

Haverhill Commuter Rail Line

  • Feb. 4-12: shutdown between Haverhill and Reading
  • Alternative: Riders can take free shuttle buses

With reporting from WBUR's Amy Sokolow and Nik DeCosta-Klipa, and State House News Service reporter Colin A. Young.

This article was originally published on January 26, 2023.

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