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BOSTON — Some good news for commuters: for the first time since March 8, there are less than 10 miles of Red Line track currently under a speed restriction, according to transit officials.
On Tuesday, the MBTA said 9 slow zones have been eliminated on the Red Line after critical track work was completed between JFK/UMass and Park Street Stations from November 14-16 and November 18-19.
Shuttle buses replaced service between these stations during the evening hours of those dates.
“Each step we take to repair our infrastructure is the building block for rebuilding public trust and restoring the level of service that the public deserves,” said MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng. “I thank our riders for their patience as we completed this critical work and the MBTA team for their tireless efforts. The MBTA is proud to have completed this critical work, removing nine speed restrictions on the Red Line – which is three more than we set out to remove!”
Officials say the work was made possible by replacing Red Line trains with shuttle buses starting at 8:45 p.m. on November 14-16, allowing crews earlier access to the tracks than would’ve been possible during overnight work.
The early access and weekend diversion reportedly allowed crews to replace over 2,000 feet of rail and 115 ties on the Red Line.
According to the MBTA, the following speed restrictions are no longer in place:
| Speed Restriction Number | Restriction Information and Location | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 509898 | 25 mph restriction northbound between Broadway and South Station | Removed |
| 523861 | 25 mph restriction northbound between Andrew and Broadway | Removed |
| 523834 | 25 mph restriction southbound between Andrew and JFK/UMass | Removed |
| 523836 | 10 mph restriction southbound between Andrew and JFK/UMass | Removed |
| 501845 | 10 mph restriction southbound between Andrew and JFK/UMass | Removed |
| 490414 | 10 mph restriction southbound between Andrew and JFK/UMass | Removed |
| 577719 | 10 mph restriction northbound between Park Street and Downtown Crossing | Removed |
| 577721 | 25 mph restriction northbound from South Station to Downtown Crossing | Removed |
| 577527 | 25 mph restriction southbound between South Station and Downtown Crossing | Removed |
The T says several in-station upgrades were made during this time, including new and cleaned signage within tunnel areas; restoration and sanding of the platform benches at Broadway, Andrew, and South Station; new rubber flooring on the stairway at Broadway; painting at Broadway and Andrew; and platform tripping hazards fixed at South Station.
“I know that we have many challenges ahead, but this reconfirms a new way of doing business at the MBTA to safely improve our tracks and infrastructure and providing a faster, more reliable ride for the public,” Eng said.
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