Mayors Sign Letter To MBTA Ahead Of Orange Line Shutdown

MELROSE, MA — The mayors of Melrose, Malden and Medford joined together on Thursday to call for express shuttle bus service and additional commuter rail trains in their communities during the MBTA’s upcoming 30-day Orange Line shutdown.

Paul Brodeur of Melrose, Gary Christenson of Malden and Breanna Lungo-Koehn of Medford each signed the joint letter to MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak just a day after Poftak, Gov. Charlie Baker and MassDot Secretary Jamey Tesler announced the shutdown on Wednesday.

“Each of us represents communities whose residents rely heavily on the Orange Line,” the mayors wrote. “We believe the MBTA can take additional action to make this closure slightly more tolerable for our residents and your customers.”

Set to take place from Aug. 19 through Sept. 18, the shutdown aims to let crews accelerate a series of needed repairs along the Orange Line route. It comes after a series of safety incidents across the MBTA network and a subsequent investigation by the Federal Transit Authority.

In the meantime, state officials have inked a deal to bring up to 200 shuttle buses online over the length of the Orange Line shutdown. The MBTA has specifically promised shuttle bus service between Oak Grove and Forest Hills stations and downtown Boston. However, the MBTA has said those buses “will take longer and be less reliable than regular Orange Line train service.” Certain other aspects of the shuttle bus plans remained to be determined as of Thursday.

On the Commuter Rail, the MBTA is allowing anyone to ride in zones 1a, 1, and 2 during the shutdown by simply showing a CharlieCard or CharlieTicket.

State officials have advised would-be Orange Line riders to utilize the Commuter Rail if possible.

In their letter Melrose, Malden and Medford mayors said station-to-station shuttle buses would “likely be overcrowded and will be subject to significant and unavoidable delays.”

They suggested separate express service from Oak Grove, Malden Center and Wellington stations into Boston.

“The MBTA has a great deal of experience running this type of service from areas north of Boston, and this unprecedented challenge makes this the perfect time to get creative with express bus service,” the mayors wrote.

Mayors separately asked for increased frequency of service on the Haverhill Commuter Rail line, saying this would help limit strain on the Commuter Rail amid a likely increase in ridership.

Expanded Commuter Rail access, mayors said, would also give riders “a more predictable service that is not subject to many of the challenges the shuttles will experience.”

“We are all committed to an MBTA that is safe, reliable, efficient and affordable,” the mayors wrote. “The changes we suggest reflect that commitment.”

Other state and federal leaders have reacted to the looming shutdown. Among them, many have specifically called on the MBTA to flesh out its plans to accommodate riders.

“There needs to be a clear, comprehensive plan for the tens of thousands of people who rely on the orange line every single day and significant investment in our public transit system to finally take it into the 21st century,” Rep. Kathrine Clark said in a statement on Wednesday.

State Sen. Jason Lewis added criticism on Thursday following previous comments the day before.

“While this decision may be the best way to accelerate needed maintenance and safety upgrades and improve service reliability, the way it is being implemented is disgraceful,” he said. “Why was this action not taken during the height of the pandemic when far fewer people were depending on public transit? Why are riders, employers, and colleges only being given two weeks notice before such a huge disruption takes place? Why didn't the MBTA do a better job addressing maintenance and safety issues for years and instead allow the situation to deteriorate so badly? Why are so many details about this plan and alternative transportation options still being worked out, creating so much uncertainty for the entire greater Boston region?”

Baker addressed questions about the uncertainties in the MBTA’s plan on Wednesday.

“We could have chosen to just wait until the 15th of August when we had every single one of these issues figured out to then make the announcement,” he said. “We thought that would be a bad idea.”

“I think we felt that the better way to go here was to make the announcement, start the discussion and be in a position where people start paying attention to what the possible alternatives are for them,” Baker continued.

Multiple state officials have promised an extensive public information campaign to educate MBTA riders about alternative transit options during the Orange Line shutdown.

Riders are advised to check the MBTA’s website for updates.