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Localized MBTA speed restrictions remain in place for Monday commute

The restrictions were put in place last week because of missing or inconsistent documentation on track repairs.

A Green Line train arrives at the MBTA Park Street station in Boston. Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe

By Ross Cristantiello

2 minutes to read

A series of localized speed restrictions put in place by the MBTA late last week are still in place as of Sunday evening.

The restrictions were announced Thursday night. In a release, the MBTA said that they were necessitated by a recent site visit to the Red Line between Ashmont and Savin Hill by the Department of Public Utilities.

The restrictions, which capped train speeds at 25 miles per hour, initially impacted the Red, Orange, Blue, and Green Lines. The MBTA lifted the systemwide restrictions Friday morning, but kept them in place on the Green and Mattapan lines.

More on the T slow zones

Localized restrictions remained in place on the Red, Orange, and Blue lines in spots where officials had not yet inspected the track or where conditions do not allow for normal speeds, MBTA interim General Manager Jeff Gonneville said.

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Gonneville said that missing or inconsistent documentation on track repairs was what caused the issue.

There is no word yet on how long the remaining restrictions will last. Officials must first search for documentation on track conditions from as far back as last fall, MBTA spokesperson Joe Pesaturo told The Boston Globe Friday.

“We understand that riders are frustrated, and we thank them for their patience as we work hard to deliver the reliable system they expect and deserve,” Gonneville said in a statement Sunday. “The decision to implement these speed restrictions was taken because the safety of our riders and employees is a top priority. We will continue to keep riders updated as we develop a timeline for the completion of this work and a return to a more normal schedule.”

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The restrictions remain in place on 31.9% of subway track, according to the MBTA. The Orange Line has 19 block speed restrictions, the Red Line has 39, and the Blue Line has six.

“A block speed restriction is a length of track that may include multiple defects that need to be investigated or mitigated. As each defect is validated and corrected as needed, the length of the block speed restriction will be reduced until the block is fully removed,” the MBTA said.

With longer travel times and headways still in place on its subway lines, the T is giving riders an opportunity to switch to the commuter rail. 

The transit agency wrote on Twitter that passengers can show their CharlieCard or CharlieTicket to conductors to ride to and from several stops on the Orange and Red lines:

Orange Line

  • Oak Grove
  • Malden Center
  • Back Bay
  • Ruggles
  • Forest Hills

Red Line

  • Porter
  • JFK/UMASS
  • Quincy Center
  • Braintree

As of Monday morning, the MBTA website forecast delays ranging between 10 to 20 minutes across all the subway lines as a result of lingering speed restrictions. 

Staff writer Abby Patkin contributed to this report.

Ross Cristantiello

Staff Writer

Ross Cristantiello, a general assignment news reporter for Boston.com since 2022, covers local politics, crime, the environment, and more.

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