BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Board is now providing online information on speed restrictions on its rail transit network through on online tool launched on Thursday.
The Speed Restriction Dashboard provides information on the location, speed limit, date a restriction was put in place, and the reason for the restriction, on the Red, Orange, Blue, Green, and Mattapan Trolley lines. The launch of the new dashboard had been promised last month when the MBTA launched a dashboard for tracking its progress in complying with Federal Transit Administration safety directives [see “MBTA launches ‘safety dashboard’ …,” Trains News Wire, Feb. 27, 2023].
It comes at a time when the speed restrictions are in the spotlight, following a period when the MBTA briefly imposed a systemwide 25-mph restriction over issues with documenting track inspections and repairs. It gradually lifted blanket restrictions on each line, but more than 36 miles of the rail network, or 27% of the system, remained under slow orders as of Thursday’s launch of the dashboard. Information will be updated daily.
“The dashboard delivers information that is clear and will assist riders in better understanding why they are experiencing slower conditions while riding the T,” Interim General Manager Jeff Gonneville said in a press release. “As we continue to validate and address track deficiencies, we also expect that over time, this platform will demonstrate the progress we’re making to remove speed restrictions. We know these restrictions impact riders’ daily commutes and we will continue to be transparent about the ongoing, daily work to improve our transit system.”
The Boston Globe reports that the dashboard shows 138 more speed restrictions than the MBTA reported less than a month ago, and that the 27% figure for track-miles covered by restrictions is an increase from 7.5% at the end of February. The Globe also reports that according to analysis by transit advocacy group TransitMatters, a round trip on the Red Line, which currently has 106 restrictions covering 12 miles, currently takes 74 minutes longer than it would if trains were able to operate at full speed.
