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MBTA resumes E Branch service on the Green Line
The closure ended slightly early. The D Branch is scheduled to close for maintenance and improvements this fall.
Although the MBTA’s massive Orange Line closure is only a few days old, riders of Boston’s beleaguered transit system are getting some good news this week. The MBTA announced Sunday that the Green Line’s E Branch has resumed regular service, slightly ahead of schedule.
Throughout the year, workers have been steadily making their way through improvements to each of the four Green Line branches. This process, dubbed the Green Line Transformation Program, is aimed at improving reliability and service quality for riders through significant upgrades to tracks, signals, stations, facilities, and vehicles.
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The E Branch shutdown, which began on Aug. 6, was initially set to run through Aug. 21. But service resumed on Sunday, just ahead of schedule, the MBTA announced. Crews specifically focused on track work and the installation of safety equipment. Workers replaced more than 2,750 feet of track, along with two pieces of “special track work” and installed new trackside technology along the E Branch route.
“Full access closures such as those completed on the Green Line allow the MBTA to deliver much needed progress to the system as quickly as possible,” MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said in a statement. “I know construction can be disruptive, but I want to thank all of our riders for their understanding as we continue to move forward as an Authority to deliver the service they deserve.”
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Now, work has been completed on the B, C, and E branches of the Green Line. Next up is the D Branch, which stretches all the way to Newton. It will close multiple times later this fall.
D Branch service will be replaced with shuttle bus service three times beginning in late September. Each closure will last nine days. They are as follows:
- Saturday, September 24 – Sunday, October 2
- Saturday, October 8 – Sunday, October 16
- Saturday, October 22 – Sunday, October 30
More than 5,000 feet of track will be replaced along the D Branch, and five station crossings will be upgraded. Special equipment will be installed along the track to enable the Green Line Train Protection System.
This new system combines trackside technology with equipment on the trains themselves to better avoid train-on-train crashes. As Green Line trains move, they are fed information by radar, signals, and cameras. Train operators are notified of upcoming potential hazards. The system can also take over for operators, automatically stopping train cars when a red light is detected, when another train is in its path, or when a train is moving over a specific speed.
Most of the track replacement work will take place between the Chestnut Hill and Newton Center stations. Prep work will commence Sept. 19, but won’t interfere with regular service.
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“The Capital Transformation team continues to drive the importance of safety, reliability, and progress across the Green Line,” MBTA Chief of Capital Transformation Angel Peña said in a statement. “As we shift focus to our final scheduled surge on the Green Line, it is our top priority to keep all riders informed as we make these critical improvements to the D Branch. As always, we are constantly looking for ways to better the system in the most efficient manner possible. We appreciate all Green Line riders’ patience and flexibility as we continue to improve service for all.”
Free shuttle bus service will replace D Branch service during all three closures. They will stop at each station between Riverside and Kenmore, except at the Beaconsfield Station. Narrow roads in the area prevent shuttle bus access at this stop, the MBTA said.
The other end of the Green Line is also undergoing changes. Starting Monday, Aug. 22, shuttle buses will replace service between the Government Center and Union Square stations. This will last until Sunday, Sept. 18. This is being done so that critical work can be completed prior to the opening of the Green Line’s new Medford Branch in November.
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This is part of the Green Line Extension, which will add a new Green Line Branch onto existing Commuter Rail tracks from the Lechmere station to Medford, a new Green Line branch from Lechmere to Union Square in Somerville, and a new vehicle storage/maintenance facility. Lechmere station itself has been revamped, and six new stations will be added near Winter Hill, Magoun Square, and Tufts University.
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