The MBTA announced changes to service on the Red, Green, and Orange lines for the month of July that would impact Kingston, Middleborough, Greenbush, and Worcester.
Through written communication, the transit agency noted that service changes to the Orange and Green Lines will take place in the downtown Boston area throughout the day for 12 days from July 29 to August 9. Meanwhile, the changes to the Red Line would be implemented between July 11 and 23.
RED LINE
The MBTA said the shuttle bus service will replace overnight trains between stations JFK/UMass and North Quincy beginning at approximately 8:45 p.m. July 11 to 13 and July 20.
meanwhile, from July 21 and during the weekend of July 22 and 23the shuttle service will replace the night trains on weekdays between the stations JFK/UMass and Braintree starting at approximately 8:45 p.m.
As part of the changes, commuter rail lines in Kingston, Middleborough and Greenbushwhich run adjacent to the Red linewill also experience service changes:
The shuttle bus service will replace night trains on weekdays between South Station and Braintree after 7:30 p.m. July 10 to 14 and July 17 to 21and during the weekend of July 22 and 23.
Express shuttle bus service will also operate directly between South Station and Braintree Station.
Passengers should note that bicycles are not allowed on the shuttle buses and regular commuter rail fares will be charged between Kingston, Middleborough and Greenbush and Braintree stations. Keolis customer service agents, MBTA staff and transit ambassadors will be on site at affected stations to support riders.
The detour schedule will be available online soon at mbta.com/CommuterRail.
GREEN LINE
The service will undergo changes during the weekend of the July 15-16 for the crews to carry out comprehensive inspections of the structural, electrical, mechanical and fire, life and safety systems of the underground tunnel of the Green Line:
- In branch B, the trolley service between the stations will be suspended Boston University East and Haymarket. Accessible shuttle buses will provide service between Boston University East and Back Bay Station at the orange line for continuous parallel service.
- In Branch C, trolley service will be suspended between bus stations Saint Mary’s Street and Haymarket. Accessible shuttle buses will provide service between St. Mary’s Street and Back Bay Station in the orange line for continuous parallel service.
- On branch D, the trolley service will be suspended between stations Fenway and North. Accessible shuttle buses will provide service between Brookline Hills and Back Bay Station in the orange line for continuous parallel service.
- In Branch E, the trolley service will be suspended between Heath Street and North Stations. Instead, riders are encouraged to use the Route 39 bus service.
Accessible shuttle bus service will replace the entire B branch of the Green Line between Kenmore and Boston College stations during 12 days, from July 17 to 28. Passengers should note that the shuttle buses will not serve Allston Street, Griggs Street or Packard’s Corner for accessibility reasons. This service change will allow crews to complete critical track improvements and additional work on the B branch, including more than 2,000 feet of full-depth track replacement at Packard’s Corner and between Harvard Avenue and Allston Street; the replacement of banks of ducts and underground conduits that power the trains; and repainting of crosswalks, bike lanes, and sidewalk edges along Ramal B.
The train service of the Green Line between Lechmere and Union Square Stations will be suspended during 42 days from July 18 to August 28. This service change is due to critical repair work by MassDOT on the Squire Bridge, which crosses the tracks near Union Square Station. Alternative travel options include the following:
- Passengers traveling from Union Square Station can use Route 86 (boarding at Somerville Ave. opp Stone Ave. and get off Washington St. at New Washington St.) and Route 91 (boarding at Prospect St. at Bennett Ct and get off at Washington St. at New Washington St.) bus service from Union Square to the East Somerville Station areas to continue service at the Medford/Tufts branch.
- Passengers heading to Union Square Station can board the Medford/Tufts Branch service to East Somerville Station and then use the Route 86 and 91 bus service (boarding Washington St. at Tufts St. and getting off at Somerville Ave on Stone Ave.) for the Union Square area.
- Riders can also use the Route 87 bus service by boarding at the Lechmere Station and getting off in the Union Square area at Somerville Ave. and Stone Ave.
Due to the ongoing demolition of the Government Center Garage by private developer HYM Construction, changes will be made to the Orange and Green Line service in the downtown Boston area throughout the day for 12 days from July 29 to August 9:
orange line
Trains will bypass Haymarket station. Orange Line riders should exit at North Station or State, which are less than half a 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, and riders will instead be asked to walk between these stations: Government Center, Haymarket, and North Station are within a half-mile of each other (about five to 10 minutes on foot), and the distance between Government Center and North Station is about three quarters of a mile (about 13 minutes on foot).
Passengers are also reminded that Orange Line/Green Line connections can also be made via the Winter Street Concourse, which connects the Park Street and Downtown Crossing stations.
Weekend trains on the Framingham/Worcester line will be replaced by accessible bus service between Worcester and Grafton stations from July 29-30. This service change was implemented to accommodate construction as part of the Worcester Union Station Improvements Project.
