Boston commuters, get ready for some significant adjustments to your December travel plans as the MBTA gears up for a series of service changes. According to a recent announcement provided by MBTA, these modifications are set to support necessary upgrades on the Orange and Green lines, including signal modernization and infrastructure overhauls.
Starting on December 5, Orange Line service will be suspended between Back Bay and Forest Hills, lasting through the entire day and continuing into December 6, however, regular service will resume on Sunday, December 7, which means that for two whole days, travelers accustomed to these routes must find alternate paths to their destinations. They are encouraged to use the Commuter Rail as one option, as a swiftly-executed 10-minute journey from Forest Hills to Back Bay might actually be a silver lining in the face of service disruptions. During this downtime, the MBTA is also squeezing in extra station maintenance tasks, such as cleaning and repairs.
Meanwhile, during what promises to be a challenging mid-December period for track travelers, Green Line users will encounter a 15-day suspension from December 8-22. The vintage wooden overhead wire “trough” that dates back to the 1890s is set for replacement with a sturdier metal counterpart, this effort will coincide with additional upgrades and inspections to spruce up the overall infrastructure and safety measures within the Green Line's subterranean passages.
The MBTA has arranged shuttle services and fare adjustments to ease the inconvenience. Notable are free fares on impacted Commuter Rail and bus routes. For example, the MBTA is dispatching accessible shuttle buses along the B Branch from Babcock Street to Back Bay, from where riders can switch to the Orange Line to reach downtown. Similarly, the C and D Branches have shuttle services, and the Worcester Commuter Rail Line will offer fare-free rides between select stations. With these temporary solutions in place, passengers should still allow for extra travel time—those heading to Park Street from Boston College are advised to earmark an additional 20 minutes over their regular commute.
Transit users can stay informed about changes and shuttles via in-station signage, public announcements, and online updates. The MBTA site offers detailed guidance, and staff dubbed Transit Ambassadors will be present to provide assistance. Moreover, up-to-the-minute service information will be broadcast through the MBTA's social media handles on various platforms. For those looking to have alerts pushed directly to them, an option exists to subscribe to T-Alerts.
