MBTA commuters told Boston.com they were bracing themselves for double commute times and unreliable shuttle buses when the shutdown was first announced.
It was even feared that the promised 30 days would turn into an indefinite shutdown.
Despite its need, I am not sure it would be limited to 30 days, or would do enough to fix service issues.
For way too long, things have gone unresolved and unfixed. If it’s only 30, I’ll be very surprised,” Kristen Z.
Told Boston.com days after the announcement.
The MBTA officials feel that the closure was largely a success, despite reports of gridlock and overcrowded buses. The closure was meant to conduct extensive repairs on the line’s track and signal infrastructure.
During the last month, the T has completed improvements on its track and signal infrastructure that have been ongoing for five years, while also addressing safety issues on a much faster schedule, said Gov.
Charlie Baker at a press conference on Sunday.
The MBTA is already working on other updates to the T, but passengers will not notice the change in speed for another week, according to the Boston Globe.
Following a series of incidents, including the death of a passenger, the Federal Transit Orange Line Administration ordered the agency to address a number of safety issues this summer.
The MBTA has not announced any other service disruptions on the scale of the Orange Line shutdown, but two temporary closures are coming to the Red Line.
Between JFK/UMass and Broadway stations, shuttle buses will replace trains, while between Ashmont and JFK/UMass
Orange Line station, shuttle buses will replace trains from 8:45 p.m. to midnight.
Would you be willing to go through more monthly shutdowns to expedite repairs?
The idea may have seemed disastrous when it was first proposed, but now that we’ve experienced it, we want your opinion.
