MBTA's C Line To Be Closed For 1 Month In Brookline

BROOKLINE, MA – For the next month, the Green Line's C branch will be replaced with free shuttle busses. But people in the Brookline business community hope that won't deter you from making a trip to visit businesses in Coolidge Corner and Washington Square already struggling with lower than normal foot traffic as they try to make ends meet during the pandemic.

As part of the MBTA’s $8 billion Building a Better T program, crews will be working to update the C-line's tracks from Cleveland Circle to Kenmore Square beginning on the evening of July 5, through Saturday, August 1, including weekdays and weekends.

Although the month-long closure will be relatively short, it is equivalent to about one full year of weekend and night closures, it has some in the business community worried about what it could mean for restaurants and businesses already struggling.

"It could have a huge impact," said Kara Brewton of the Town's Planning Department. "The next couple weeks are when businesses are going to figure out if they're going to be able to stay in business, and much of their business is local traffic driven."

Businesses have been struggling since the pandemic forced them to close temporarily and regional headlines are filled with the names of businesses that have announced they can no longer keep it up. Restaurants and retail shops have had to change the way they do business and have faced seriously diminished business as the country reels from the coronavirus.

The Brookline Chamber of Commerce is beginning a shop local campaign in an effort to support the businesses, but nearly everyone has taken a hit and could use help in the form of shoppers.

The Green Line update was set in motion months ago with the aim to improve accessibility by fixing uneven pavement at crossings, sidewalks and intersections, remove a longstanding speed restriction by replacing some 2.5 miles of track that's more than 30 years old.

"The C Branch work taking place during the month of July is the equivalent of about a year’s worth of weekend and evening diversions in C Branch service," said MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak in a statement. "With safety as our first priority, our shuttle plan continues to include measures that promote physical distancing, and face coverings are required on shuttle buses and throughout the T system. We know these shutdowns can be inconvenient, and appreciate our customers’ understanding as we accomplish this important work on a faster timeline that allows us to deliver improvements more quickly."

The MBTA will hold a virtual public meeting to outline the details of this upcoming Green Line C Branch track and intersection work from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on on June 29.

The MBTA says the work was previously planned to coincide with a time of the year when ridership has been low, but with ridership even more decreased because of the pandemic, they moved the timing up.

Instead of the train, free, accessible shuttle buses will be picking up riders between Cleveland Circle and Kenmore stations.

This comes as the Green Line D Branch prepares to reopen, after shutting down twice for track and signal replacement work for two nine-day stints. The D line should be ready to resume normal schedule on June 29.

Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna). Have a press release you'd like posted on the Patch? Here's how to post a press release, a column, event or opinion piece.