MBTA announces 16-day partial Red Line shutdown set for October

The T's Red Line will shut down for 16 days in October on portions of the Ashmont and Mattapan branches, MBTA officials announced Thursday. Officials say the shuttering of parts of the transit system's most popular line aims to "expedite critical track work."

The shutdown will impact stops between JFK/UMass and Ashmont Stations on the Ashmont Line and between Ashmont and Mattapan Stations on the Mattapan Line from Oct. 14 through Oct. 29.

Shuttle buses will be provided to replace the closed stops, T officials said.

“Safety of the MBTA system is paramount, and this 16-day closure allows us to address many of the Red Line’s worst speed restrictions much faster than we’ve been able to accomplish during night and weekend work,” said MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng in a release.

After the shut down, the agency said 28 speed restrictions will be "alleviated" on these branches and improve travel time for passengers.

Eng said the organization understands line closures can be "frustrating." The MBTA will hold four open houses in September where the public can learn about the plan and offer thoughts on the shutdown.

The MBTA put a series of temporary shutdowns in place over the past year to fix various issues across its aging system. The agency shut down the B Branch of the Green Line for 12 days in July following a derailment at the Packard's Corner stop in June.

Last year, the MBTA shut down the entire Orange Line for a month for track repairs, signal upgrades and the implementation of new trains.