https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/11/01/metro/mbta-eliminates-year-old-slow-zone/
Can confirm this is definitely running faster from having a birds eye view of the stretch that runs along Commander Shea blvd.
In addition to strip malls, the burbs also have a ton of underutilized office space that is never going to be leased. Hope they also think of converting some of those spaces too.
Unrelated to the previous article, but the Washington DC subway even it's current state puts the MBTA to shame. Spent the the majority of last week in DC and took the train everywhere. Every line had 7 minute headways. Makes me yourn for a functioning, efficient subway system.