MBTA "Transformation" (Green Line, Red Line, & Orange Line Transformation Projects)

RandomWalk said:
This shutdown is a textbook example of why the Alewife truck pad is needed. If that pad was available, they would be able to keep the line open to Central or Harvard.
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If I remember right, there's also a set of switches between Davis and Alewife - depending on how power is divided between stations, it could potentially go as far as Davis and then turn back.
 
RandomWalk said:
This shutdown is a textbook example of why the Alewife truck pad is needed. If that pad was available, they would be able to keep the line open to Central or Harvard.
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I mean they are doing full depth track reconstruction in Central Station itself; kinda hard to get past that. Based on their shutdown notice they're doing a lot of trackwork - I don't begrudge them for it, but I don't think we'll get a full summary until it reopens.
 
RandomWalk said:
This shutdown is a textbook example of why the Alewife truck pad is needed. If that pad was available, they would be able to keep the line open to Central or Harvard.
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Could you explain this? I don't have a good sense of the logistics of this work, or why that truck pad would make such a big difference here.

Also, I've seen construction crews on the tracks on the Longfellow Bridge this week, so it seems like they did have work to do along the whole length of the shutdown. Unless they're just taking advantage of an overly long shutdown?
 
ritchiew said:
Could you explain this? I don't have a good sense of the logistics of this work, or why that truck pad would make such a big difference here.

Also, I've seen construction crews on the tracks on the Longfellow Bridge this week, so it seems like they did have work to do along the whole length of the shutdown. Unless they're just taking advantage of an overly long shutdown?
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Specifically, it's because there's no access points to the Red Line tunnel in Cambridge other than the Longfellow itself; This railing is actually a gate. It's the only way to get material, hi rails etc into the tunnel anywhere between Alewife and Charles/MGH. So, if they want to do trackwork at Porter, to accommodate that they need to shut down the entire stretch from Park to Alewife (they can't turn trains at Charles) so that the work crews have access from that gate to the Porter work area.

If they could get into the tunnel from the Alewife end via the new hi rail access, for that Porter hypothetical, they no longer need to occupy the Harvard-Charles stretch, and can keep that open to turn trains at Harvard. They're apparently doing bridge inspections on the Longfellow while it's closed, but they also did say rail replacement throughout the shutdown area.
 
Stlin said:
Specifically, it's because there's no access points to the Red Line tunnel in Cambridge other than the Longfellow itself; This railing is actually a gate. It's the only way to get material, hi rails etc into the tunnel anywhere between Alewife and Charles/MGH. So, if they want to do trackwork at Porter, to accommodate that they need to shut down the entire stretch from Park to Alewife (they can't turn trains at Charles) so that the work crews have access from that gate to the Porter work area.

If they could get into the tunnel from the Alewife end via the new hi rail access, for that Porter hypothetical, they no longer need to occupy the Harvard-Charles stretch, and can keep that open to turn trains at Harvard. They're apparently doing bridge inspections on the Longfellow while it's closed, but they also did say rail replacement throughout the shutdown area.
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Can't they move in a day's worth of equipment and material in the middle of the night and move everything to track north of Harvard?
 
Trying to interpret boston.com reporting on Green Line closures:

"This weekend, MBTA Green Line service will be suspended on several lines. Service is suspended between Government Center and Babcock Street on the B branch, North Station and Kenmore on the D branch, Heath Street and North Station on the E branch, and Government Center and Kenmore on the C branch. "

"Several?" So, work affects B, C, D and E lines. I guess that means you're all set for A line to Watertown.
 
ritchiew said:
Can't they move in a day's worth of equipment and material in the middle of the night and move everything to track north of Harvard?
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Like - for these long duration closures? Or for regular work?

If for regular work, there's no place to store.

If for the long-duration closures, there seems to be activity nearly 24/7 so it would require a level of logistics management that I don't think fits this region's contractors. Would likely have to be a largely in-house-managed to get to that level of tight scheduling; hopefully one day?
 
www.figcitynews.com

Newton Highlands Area Council raises concerns over MBTA Station Accessibility Plan

The Newton Highlands Neighborhood Area Council is urging city and state officials to reconsider parts of the MBTA’s accessibility plan for the Newton Highlands MBTA station, citing concerns about historic preservation, neighborhood impacts, and project design. At the Council’s August 7 meeting...
www.figcitynews.com www.figcitynews.com
The Newton Highlands Neighborhood Area Council is urging city and state officials to reconsider parts of the MBTA’s accessibility plan for the Newton Highlands MBTA station, citing concerns about historic preservation, neighborhood impacts, and project design.
At the Council’s August 7 meeting, Area Councilor Robert Fizek reminded the Council that planning for the MBTA station accessibility project has been underway for at least a decade. The MBTA completed the design in 2023 but put the project on hold during Green Line power and track upgrades that were completed this year. Construction is now expected to begin in 2027.
The project is intended to add ADA-accessible ramps, but the current design also includes overhead canopies built to a standard more commonly associated with commuter rail stations. Some Newton Highlands residents and Council members contend that the canopies are not historically appropriate for the site and may not be necessary to meet accessibility goals.
[...]
Newton Highlands resident and architect Dennis Rieske argued that the proposed canopies are out of character and unnecessary for accessibility, and he said the state disability commission should be involved in decisions about the renovation. City Councilor Stephen Farrell added that communications with the mayor should clearly outline the historical and financial implications of the project.
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newton 1.jpg
newton 2.jpg
newton 3.jpg
 
themissinglink said:
www.figcitynews.com

Newton Highlands Area Council raises concerns over MBTA Station Accessibility Plan

The Newton Highlands Neighborhood Area Council is urging city and state officials to reconsider parts of the MBTA’s accessibility plan for the Newton Highlands MBTA station, citing concerns about historic preservation, neighborhood impacts, and project design. At the Council’s August 7 meeting...
www.figcitynews.com www.figcitynews.com

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This is why we can't have nice things. The MBTA is footing the entire bill for accessibility improvements at all Newton stations. And the response? An elected neighborhood council is complaining about the "historic character and neighborhood impacts" of a canopy, that is next to a large transformer, doesn't even touch the existing historic building, and is part of a transit line that isn't running "historic" vehicles. I hope this group isn't given the time of day, but until state leaders start calling out how ridiculous this type of behavior is, the T will struggle to make necessary investments as quickly or cheaply as they otherwise would.
 
The Orange Line will be able to reach 55 MPH between Assembly and Community College soon:

REMINDER: Orange Line Will Be Suspended Between Oak Grove and Back Bay for 11 Days, August 20 – 30 | News | MBTA

Official website of the MBTA -- schedules, maps, and fare information for Greater Boston's public transportation system, including subway, commuter rail, bus routes, and boat lines.
www.mbta.com www.mbta.com
Last year, the MBTA increased speeds on the Orange Line between Oak Grove and Assembly to 55 MPH for the first time ever – the track work being completed during this service change is also a major step toward expanding these faster speeds with Orange Line trains soon travelling 55 MPH between Community College and Assembly following some additional enabling work.
The signal upgrades taking place during this service change are focused on signal rack relocations, which will take place at Wellington, North Station, and Community College. During this meticulous process, signal equipment racks installed in a temporary location are moved to their permanent location within a signal house. Final signal completion work will also take place along the line between Oak Grove and Tufts Medical Center.
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www.dotnews.com

New accessible ramp dedicated at Milton trolley station - Dorchester Reporter

A newly-built ramp on Adams Street that serves as a new access-point for the Milton stop on the Mattapan hi-speed trolley line was dedicated by MBTA and local officials on Wed., Sept. 30.
www.dotnews.com www.dotnews.com
A newly-built ramp on Adams Street that serves as a new access-point for the Milton stop on the Mattapan hi-speed trolley line was dedicated by MBTA and local officials on Wed., Sept. 30.
The ADA-compliant walkway replaces a stairway that was closed off and eventually demolished in March 2023.
[...]
The project, part of a larger plan to make upgrades along the Mattapan Line, also includes new lighting, security cameras, handrails, signage, seating, and landscaping. Senator Bill Driscoll Jr. and Rep. Richard Wells Jr., both of Milton, also attended the event.
“This represents the first visible and major improvement made to the Mattapan Line since the refurbished trolleys began entering daily service several years ago,” said Driscoll. “I look forward to welcoming the MBTA back for additional celebratory ribbon cuttings in the future as the stops and stations are renovated as part of the projects that will bring hundreds of millions of dollars in improvements to the overall service, accessibility, and experience for riders all along the Mattapan Line.”
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Scott said:
It is a ribbon cutting for incremental of progress. I wish they would get moving on the Mattapan- Ashmont upgrade for real.
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Wow. I thought you were being a little facetious calling it a ribbon cutting. But no, this is a literal ribbon cutting.

There's something kind of embarrassing about the Chairman of the MBTA personally showing up for the ribbon cutting of short concrete ramp. This feels like the kind of thing that should just get done, and quickly, and without a lot on fanfare.

Behold! The Ramp:

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as02155 said:
Anyone experienced this yet?
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Delvin4519 said:
TransitMatters dashboard shows no change between earlier this summer and now.

dashboard.transitmatters.org

Orange Line | Multi-day Trips | Data Dashboard

Orange Line multi-day trips data on the TransitMatters Data Dashboard.
dashboard.transitmatters.org dashboard.transitmatters.org

dashboard.transitmatters.org

Orange Line | Multi-day Trips | Data Dashboard

Orange Line multi-day trips data on the TransitMatters Data Dashboard.
dashboard.transitmatters.org dashboard.transitmatters.org
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That press release says the the new higher speeds wouldn't start immediately after the shutdown. The upgrades they did were just a "major step" towards being able to go 55 mph, but there is still other work to be done. You shouldn't expect any speed-ups yet.
 
The T needs to provide more information about the steps involved. Not just for the Orange Line but for all their projects. Right now they’re effectively saying “Trust us… the future will be great!” They have earned a measure of trust with the slow zone work, but it’s not enough to get away with the boilerplate paragraph about the need for shutdowns in all their press releases on upcoming diversions.

They need to have dashboards showing completion percentages and they need to lead with the percentage completion expected from a given diversion. If they overshoot, shout about it. If they undershoot, explain why.
 
ritchiew said:
Wow. I thought you were being a little facetious calling it a ribbon cutting. But no, this is a literal ribbon cutting.

There's something kind of embarrassing about the Chairman of the MBTA personally showing up for the ribbon cutting of short concrete ramp. This feels like the kind of thing that should just get done, and quickly, and without a lot on fanfare.

Behold! The Ramp:

View attachment 76069
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The Chairman of the MBTA should instead be showing up for the groundbreaking of the Red-Blue BLX project.
 
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