Since August 19th, the T’s Orange Line has faced the beginning of its unprecedented month-long shutdown in service. This disruption has since been followed by the closure of Green Line stops north of Government Center, with neither shutdown being lifted until September 18th.
Even with the Orange Line opening up on September 18th, there seems to be little reprieve from T shutdowns. The Green Line has been undergoing the Green Line Train Protection System (GLTPS) renovation this summer, with tracks being replaced on B, C, D, and E branches in an effort to prevent derailments and reduce the number of unexpected stops. Only the D branch is left for renovation, which will occur from September 24th to October 30th.
These closures come on the heels of rising MBTA safety concerns, as a Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Safety Management Inspection was conducted this July. FTA Associate Administrator for Transit Safety and Oversight Joe DeLorenzo wrote in a letter to MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak that “there is a continued failure to sufficiently prevent unintended and uncontrolled train movements by disabled trains”, referring to multiple incidents of Red Line trains rolling away on tracks due to faulty braking systems. In the face of glaring concerns, there have been widespread safety overhauls in T stations across the city.
The Orange Line is now undergoing a 30-day safety and revitalization renovation project termed the Orange Line Transformation Program. This is part of the MBTA’s “Building a Better T” program and is meant to replace tracks, upgrade signals, and improve stations within a month — an acceleration on the plan’s original 5 year timeline. With respect to the disruption, MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak defends the decision, claiming that “thirty days of 24-hour access to the Orange Line replaces over five years of weekend diversions needed to address delays and slow zones. We can eliminate slow zones, prevent unplanned service disruptions, and increase the reliability of our service. Perhaps most importantly, we will provide the quality of safety and service that our riders deserve.”
With the Orange Line serving more than 100,000 trips every day, these closures have significant impact on the daily lives of local Boston residents, with a particular focus on the city’s working class community. With many having limited access to personal vehicles and an inability to afford expensive rideshare costs, public transportation has become a necessity for thousands of residents as a means to get to work or attend school.
In the face of this month-long disruption, the MBTA has offered possible alternative routes for people in need of transportation between the currently closed stations. The commuter rail will be free to riders who show their CharlieCard or CharlieTicket during the Orange Line shutdown. For rides south of the Downtown station, passengers should look for Providence/Stoughton Line trains stopping at Hyde Park and Forest Hills. For rides on the northern side of the Orange Line, look for Haverhill Line trains stopping at Oak Grove. Due to the commuter rail running in parallel to many sections of the Orange Line, the commuter rail may be the closest alternative to previously existing public transportation routes.
For people looking for other Orange Line alternatives, other free options include shuttle services and Bluebike passes. After a $37 million deal with Yankee Line, Inc., shuttle access has been greatly increased across the city. There is currently a free shuttle service running between Oak Grove and Government Center (via Haymarket), between Forest Hills and Copley (via Back Bay), and between Government Center and Union Square. Additional shuttle service between Tufts Medical Center, Chinatown, and Government Center is also being provided on a 30 minute schedule during peak hours. In addition to these shuttle services, the MBTA has made 30-day passes to Boston Bluebikes freely available to residents during the month of Orange and Green Line closures. These will offer access to a Bluebike for up to 45 minutes without any charge.
For the over 20,000 Boston Public School students who use the MBTA as a means of getting to school, the MBTA is offering more than 5,000 free 7-day pass CharlieCards to students to help them prepare alternative routes of travel. Students are also being promised that any late attendance as a result of these transportation issues will not result in penalties at school.
Despite these efforts to lower the burden on MBTA riders during these long shutdown periods, there have been serious concerns being raised about how these disruptions will affect vulnerable populations in Boston. These may be of particular concern to immigrant communities, as well as many Sampan readers, who may not have access to reliable transportation alternatives despite MBTA efforts. While shuttle service is being provided from the Chinatown Orange Line stop to provide access to the Green Line through Government Center, these shuttles are limited to run only during morning and evening hours (5-7 a.m. and 8 p.m.-1 a.m.). The frequency for these shuttles is also quite limited, so transportation options for those living or working in the Chinatown or Tufts Medical Center area are far and few between. Remaining MBTA alternatives, such as using Bluebikes or walking, may prove difficult to elderly or physically disabled Chinatown residents looking to travel around Boston, providing additional burden to these communities.
With so many recent disruptions in Orange and Green Line service, many MBTA riders will be confused as to their transportation options during the coming month. MBTA Transit Ambassadors are currently working outside Orange Line stops, helping MBTA riders locate nearby transportation alternatives. For residents within the Chinatown community who may not fluently speak English, local MBTA Neighborhood Liaisons were also present in front of affected stops, helping to cross language barriers during the first few days of shutdown.
How do real riders feel about what’s happening? We can hear from officials and watch orchestrated photo opportunities, but spontaneous comments from people on the street have a way of putting things into perspective. Sampan took the pulse of pedestrians in Downtown Crossing and Chinatown today and here’s a sample of what we found:
Debra T, a nurse from East Boston, told us she hopes we can all develop some empathy. “I walk ten miles a day,” she said. “It’s a combination of my rounds at work with my extra 30-40 minutes round trip I am walking now from State St to my job. I am relatively healthy, my legs are strong and my determination solid, but I know this is devastating to so many of my colleagues and patients, not just those who are infirmed but the language difficulties people are facing.”
Leila W, Debra’s friend and also from East Boston, agrees. “I can’t walk too long without feeling dizzy. I get on these shuttle buses from State St to work and I can only imagine the problems second language learners are facing. The drivers don’t announce the stops and you just have to ride by instinct. I have a desk job so I’m not on my feet a lot. The shuttle is a minor inconvenience right now, but I feel for the infirmed non-English speakers who simply are not being served right now.” While efforts to reach out to immigrant communities have been made by the MBTA during the Orange Line closure, more can be done to support affected communities who desperately need dependable transportation within the city. Increased signage around affected stops in multiple languages would be able to make alternatives more accessible to those in the community who are not fluent in English. Additionally, more shuttle availability is crucial to make sure that residents in the Chinatown area are not cut off from public transportation services during this time.
