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Readers: How has the Red Line shutdown impacted you?

Sections of the Red Line will shut down for 16 days for track repairs. Share your experience with us.

The MBTA announced full-access closures of the Red Line Ashmont Branch between JFK/UMass and Ashmont Stations and the Mattapan Line between Ashmont and Mattapan Stations for 16 days from Saturday, Oct. 14, to Sunday, Oct. 29. (Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff)

By Annie Jonas

October 16, 2023

1 minute to read

If you commute on the Ashmont and Mattapan branches of the Red Line, brace yourself for some disruptions to your travel over the next few weeks.

The MBTA is shutting down the Red Line Ashmont Branch between JFK/UMass and Ashmont Stations and the Mattapan Line between Ashmont and Mattapan Stations from Saturday, Oct. 14, to Sunday, Oct. 29, so it can “perform critical track work,” according to a press release from the agency.

During the shutdown, free shuttle buses will replace trains and make stops at every station. Additionally, the MBTA announced Wednesday that the Fairmount Commuter Rail Line will be free during the closure.

“The upcoming work on the Ashmont Branch and Mattapan Line is critical to addressing and improving safety and reliability along this stretch of the Red Line, and the complete closure of these lines allows us to accomplish vital work in 16 days,” MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng said in a press release.

The agency has said that workers will be replacing track on the Ashmont branch and on the Mattapan line, which is “some of the oldest in the system and is in need of replacement,” the agency said.

Stations will also see updates as part of the work, such as painting, power washing, and repairing lighting fixtures; vegetation removal; the removal of tripping hazards; and accessibility improvements.

The shutdown will not impact service on the Braintree Branch or the upper section of the Red Line that leads north to Alewife Station.

Shuttle buses will run every five to six minutes during peak travel hours on weekdays, and every 10 to 15 minutes during weekends and off-peak hours on weekdays, according to the MBTA.

But despite measures put in place to lessen the impact on commuters, frustrations and annoyances are bound to occur.

How has the Red Line shutdown impacted you? We want to know what your experience has been. Tell us if you’ve noticed the changes by filling out the survey below or e-mailing us at [email protected] and we may feature your response in a future article or on Boston.com social media channels.