BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has eliminated all speed restrictions from the rapid-transit Blue Line as a result of a maintenance shutdown that concluded on Tuesday, April 30, the agency announced Wednesday.
A total of 19 speed restrictions were eliminated over a 5-mile stretch of the Blue Line during work that began April 17 and was extended two additional days to allow for completion of all the planned work [see “MBTA extends current Blue Line closure,” Trains News Wire, April 26, 2024]. Removal of those restrictions has cut travel time by more than 3 minutes, and has cut the number of restrictions across the MBTA rail transit network below 100 for the first time since March 2023.
“With each diversion, we are fulfilling our commitment to giving our riders the safe and more reliable trip that they deserve,” MBTA CEO Phillip Eng said in a press release. “… While there is still more work to do across the system, they can now experience a shorter and smoother trip. We continue to make significant strides to perform this vital work due to the efforts of everyone involved and improved planning, scoping, and execution as we work to restore public trust to make the T the preferred choice of travel.”
April’s work on the Blue Line included replacement of 22,500 feet of rail, more than 9,000 feet of catenary wire, more than 10,000 ties, and approximately 700 feet of restraining rail. Approximately 41,000 feet of track was surfaced and tamped; various repairs were also made at a number of stations.
