Partial shutdown of Green Line’s E Branch begins amid other MBTA pending closures

BOSTON — Another inconvenience for MBTA riders as part of the Green Line is now closed and under construction for more than two weeks.

For the next 15 days, the Green Line’s E Branch from Heath Street to Copley Station are shut down for track upgrades and other maintenance work.

The partial closure began Saturday, August 6, and will be resumed on Sunday, August 21. Train service will be replaced with enhanced, parallel Route 39 bus service.

This E Branch closure comes a day after the MBTA announced that the Green Line will partially shut down service in both directions between Government Center and Union Square Station to accommodate work for the remainder of the Green Line Extension project.

From Monday, Aug. 22, through Sunday, Sept. 18, the T said commuters on the Green Line Extension will be diverted to shuttle buses. This diversion in service will allow for the demolition of the privately-owned Government Center garage, as well as for work on the new Medford Branch. The extension was set to open this summer but has been pushed back to late November.

All the while, riders on the Orange Line are bracing for the upcoming 30-day shutdown, starting on Aug. 19.

The latest weeks-long closures come after the Federal Transportation Authority slammed the MBTA for delaying necessary maintenance work needed to keep the system running.

State and local leaders, including Governor Charlie Baker and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, said the changes are needed to keep commuters safe.

“We know that any diversion, particularly like this, will be frustrating to riders. We appreciate their patience as the T implements the short-term work that can result in long-term benefits in a much shorter time frame,” Baker said.

The shutdown will provide work crews with unencumbered access to the entirety of the Orange Line’s 20 stations, over 121,000 feet of track, and infrastructure, allowing a substantial amount of work to be accomplished, according to Poftak.

The MBTA Board of Directors authorized a $37 million contract with Yankee Line Inc. to provide up to 200 shuttle buses during peak commuting hours to accommodate the hundreds of thousands of people who ride the Orange Line each day.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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