‘Safety Is Our First Priority’: MBTA Thanks Orange Line Riders

SOMERVILLE, MA — The MBTA Chief of Capital Transformation Angel Peña released a statement Tuesday thanking Orange Line riders, workers, and government officials for their patience and hard work during the 30-day shutdown.

During the closure, the MBTA was able to complete five years’ worth of necessary work in only 30 days, Peña said.

"When we embarked on this unprecedented project, there had never been anything like it before in the history of the MBTA,” Peña said. "From the choreography needed to execute construction of this magnitude, to the transformation of streets in Malden, Medford, Somerville, and Boston in accommodating additional buses in their communities, this project and its success has been nothing short of extraordinary."

"We could not have done this without the understanding of our riders, the dedicated workers who made this possible, and our partners at every level of government,” he continued. I’m regularly reminded that this work isn’t possible without the support of so many stakeholders in our communities and for this we thank you.“

The MBTA initiated the 30-day full-closure of the Orange Line on August 19 to complete years worth of improvements while addressing safety actions identified by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).

“A tremendous amount of choreography, coordination, and hard work has been accomplished during these 30 days, including over a dozen projects to replace rail, track, signals, rail fasteners, and more that would have taken the T five years of nights and weekends to accomplish,” MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said in a statement.

During the closure, the MBTA eliminated six slow zones along the Orange Line, creating faster and more reliable commutes, and added 72 new Orange Line cars. Slow zones will remain in place for five to seven more days to allow the track to settle.

Although a significant amount of work has been completed, the MBTA is not finished, Peña said. More new Orange Line cars will be added in the future and the MBTA will continue to maintain the infrastructure and install new components as needed. No additional Orange Line closures are planned for this year.

"Safety is our first priority,” Peña said. "Thank you for your sacrifice, thank you for your feedback, and thank you for your understanding. We hope you have a chance to try the improved Orange Line for yourself in the coming weeks."

Green Line Extension service between Union Square and Government Center stations also resumed Monday. The MBTA suspended service last month to facilitate the opening of the Medford Branch of the Green Line Extension this November 2022 and to allow for continued work at the Government Center Garage project.

For updates on MBTA improvements and closures, visit mbta.com/BBT2022 or connect with the T on Twitter @MBTA, Facebook /TheMBTA, or Instagram @theMBTA.