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Green Line closures start today: Here’s what to know
They're heeere!
The MBTA on Monday kicked off its yearlong campaign to remove slow zones, shutting down large portions of the Green Line and sending riders into a maze of alternate routes reminiscent of Steve Martin and John Candy’s Thanksgiving adventure in “Planes, Trains and Automobiles.”
For the next couple of weeks, Green Line riders will have to contend with several overlapping shutdowns and service disruptions, and the T is urging commuters to plan for extra travel time.
Here’s what to know.
What’s closed, and for how long?
More on the shutdowns:
The MBTA is suspending Green Line service downtown between Kenmore and North Station, starting Monday and lasting through next Tuesday, Dec. 5. (Note: the shutdown will extend north to Lechemere on Dec. 4 and 5.)
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There will be shuttle buses from Kenmore to Copley, and the T recommends that riders walk between Copley and Back Bay stations — a few blocks apart — to catch the Orange Line or commuter rail downtown. The T is making the commuter rail fare-free between South Station, Back Bay, and Lansdowne stations during this shutdown.
Notably, the Orange Line will also bypass Haymarket Station from Monday through Dec. 16 due to the ongoing demolition of the Government Center Garage. The T suggests getting off at either North Station or State and walking the rest of the way.
Beyond the downtown trunk, the Green Line closures vary branch by branch.
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The B Branch, for example, will have shuttles running from Copley to Babcock Street until Dec. 5, though Green Line trolleys will be running as usual from there to Boston College. The 57 bus will also be free to ride between Kenmore and Packard’s Corner.
The C Branch will largely be running as usual up until Kenmore. Same goes for the D Branch — at least until Dec. 11, when shuttle buses will replace service between Riverside and Kenmore through Dec. 20.
The E Branch, meanwhile, is completely shut down between Heath Street and Copley, and the T is urging riders to instead use the 39 bus, which will be free to use and essentially runs the same route as the trolleys.
What about the Green Line Extension?
Starting Monday and lasting through Dec. 10, the Green Line Extension will close nightly at 8:45 p.m. so crews can repair the too-narrow tracks.
Shuttle buses will replace trains between North Station and Medford/Tufts, but the T is advising riders on the Union Square Branch to take the 86, 91, or CT2 bus instead. Shuttles will also run between North Station and Lechmere all day on Dec. 4 and 5.
What’s next?
This week’s Green Line closures are the first in a series of shutdowns that the MBTA has planned through the end of 2024 that will ultimately hit the Orange, Red, and Blue Lines along with the Green. The transit agency previously said that its goal is to expedite track repairs and lift nearly 200 speed restrictions by the end of next year.
Green Line riders: How have the closures affected your commute?
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