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Orange Line work is on track, with 50 percent done so far, MBTA says

"We are looking forward to Labor Day and turning that corner as we enter the homestretch."

Orange Line work continued on the tracks in the Southwest Corridor in Jamaica Plain on Tuesday. John Tlumacki / The Boston Globe

By Christopher Gavin

2 minutes to read
On the Move

Two weeks into the 30-day shutdown of the Orange Line, MBTA leaders said Friday crews are so far on track to finish the work as scheduled, with 50 percent of the upgrades and enhancements on the embattled rapid transit branch already completed.

To date, workers have finished 44 percent of the planned rail replacement; 49 percent of track/tie replacement; 84 percent of “special track work,” such as work around crossovers; and 22 percent of cologne eggs and other rail fastener work, officials said.

“We are looking forward to Labor Day and turning that corner as we enter the homestretch,” MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak told reporters on Friday.

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Poftak said he believes the project will wrap as expected on Sept. 19, but he did not want to speculate if it’s possible work could finish ahead of schedule.

“I sort of don’t want to get into a guessing game,” he said. “I want to make sure our teams have the time and space to do (the work). I’ve consistently emphasized the priority is safety. Productivity and schedule is very important — safety is far above that. So I don’t want to put any pressure on anyone to do anything. I want the work done safely.”

The shutdown began late on Aug. 19. Would-be T riders can catch free shuttle bus rides between Oak Grove and Haymarket/Government Center and between Forest Hills and Back Bay/Copley.

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Passengers can also ride the commuter rail in Zones 1A, 1, and 2 at no charge by showing their CharlieCard or CharlieTicket to conductors. Trains operating parallel the Orange Line will be making stops at Forest Hills, Ruggles, Back Bay, North Station, Malden Center, and Oak Grove.

According to the MBTA, work crews were able to replace about 900 feet of track in two days between Downtown Crossing and State Street stations — a section among the several “slow zones” the T will improve during the closure.

“To put this into context, when MBTA crews work during overnight hours when the subway is closed, they are able to replace about 39 feet of track a night after materials are staged and the third rail power is cut,” officials said in a news release. “The rest of the slow zones are also in the process of being completed.”

Additionally, as of this week, the MBTA crossed four projects off its list: “crossover improvements at Ruggles station, rail welding at Forest Hills station, canopy work at Sullivan Square station, and security enhancements at North Station,” the agency said.

Crossover work at Sullivan Square station was slated to wrap up on Friday as well. Crews have also taken on several other projects along the line, such as finishing punch list items at Sullivan Square, testing new security upgrades at North Station, and painting the replacement standpipe for fire protection at the Tufts Medical Center station.

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Fifty-six new Orange Line cars have also been made available for service.

Poftak said Friday the MBTA faced challenges this week as Boston experienced its annual apartment lease turnover traffic on Thursday, but was able to maintain service nonetheless.

He asked for the public’s continued help in making sure shuttle buses run efficiently.

“I want to continue to urge folks not to drive in dedicated bus lanes, not to park in dedicated bus lanes, (to) allow us to get vehicles back and allow us to get these buses flowing smoothly,” he said.

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