Early Tuesday morning, an incident at JFK/UMass Station in Dorchester resulted in injuries to two MBTA workers when their track maintenance vehicles collided. This incident, occurred just before 6 a.m. The MBTA has not released the identities of the workers involved. One worker sustained a leg injury, while the other was reported to have injured their wrist. Both were taken to a local hospital for treatment, though the extent of their injuries remains undisclosed, reported on MassLive.
The collision brings to light the ongoing issues faced by the MBTA regarding its track maintenance operations. According to a recent report by The Boston Globe, the agency has experienced 27 maintenance vehicle derailments since commencing a track improvement program aimed at enhancing the safety and reliability of the transit system. The Federal Transit Administration, concerned about the potential dangers of such intense and frequent track activity, urged the MBTA to perform repairs safely. Despite the string of incidents, MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng has made it a point to emphasize that not continuing the necessary track work poses a greater risk, including the potential for passenger-laden subway cars to derail.
In response to the incident and the concerns raised, the MBTA released a statement affirming its dedication to establishing a culture of safety and the commitment to thorough investigations to refine safety protocols. “We are thoroughly investigating this incident to identify factors that contributed to it and will use the findings to further improve our safety protocols and practices,” the agency declared, as reported by MassLive.
This week's Red Line service reflects the ongoing track work, with suspensions between Broadway, Andrew, JFK/UMass, and North Quincy, during which shuttle buses and free commuter rail travel are being provided as alternatives. The MBTA has planned additional Red Line and Green Line shutdowns through late November to facilitate further improvements, maintaining its resolve to eliminate all speed restrictions on the Red Line by year's end. The impact of such interruptions is meant to culminate in a transportation system that is both faster and safer for Boston's commuters, as detailed by the MBTA’s commitment to ending slowdowns on critical segments of the Red Line. According to the agency's speed restriction tracker, the only remaining slow zones are located between JFK/UMass and Andrew and from Central to Kendall/MIT on the southbound line.
