Shutting Down The T. Now What?

I suppose it's a good thing officials are shutting the T down on purpose before more riders have to leap into the Mystic River. I know it's not the entire T but as we all know, everything is connected so even a partial shutdown can wreak havoc.

There have been problems on the T for as long as I've lived in the Boston area and I moved here in '77.

The thing is older than dirt and has needed an upgrade for a very long time. I mean, Boston is the home of North America's first subway tunnel.  The Tremont Street subway began operation in 1897. Yea, that Tremont Street. The subway that's still in use and connects to Government Center, Park Street and Boylston Street.

It seems the T hasn't been the most reliable way to get around for awhile. But lately there's been a string of calamities.

There was that fire on the orange line where the woman jumped into the Mystic River because she feared the train would explode. (Remember when the orange line was shut down because someone "licked" it?) A recent power issue on the green line where riders had to walk through a dark, dank tunnel. Trains on the red line rolling through Braintree Station on their own.

It's time. Shut it down.

Shutting down the T would have been less of a problem if the T could have been shut down completely during the first year of the pandemic. Then again, who would have worked? Except for essential workers, the rest of us were holed up in our homes, socially distancing.

We should be thankful this is happening in August.

So, let's get this party started. The orange line shutdown begins Friday night at 9 and is scheduled to start service again September 19 at 5am. Can they do everything they want to get done in thirty days? We'll see. (remembers big dig)

In the meantime, if you usually take the T, here's how to get around in the next month:

https://www.wcvb.com/article/boston-massachusetts-orange-green-line-shutdown-ways-to-get-around-2022/40899436

And if you're driving watch out for more pedestrians and people on bikes.

After the last two years, this is only thirty days. We can do this.

Need some motivation? Be grateful you're not Charlie.

The MBTA is such a hot mess. I seriously feel for the people who rely on it for their main mode of transportation. There have been issues for YEARS! From major delays, to breakdowns, to runaways trains, and a train that caught on fire where a woman jumped into the water below. And we can't forget the shutdown during COVID when someone licked the train. All that said, the Orange Line is getting ready to shut down from August 19th - September 19th.

The Orange line has a well-earned reputation of being the worst line of the MBTA. It's also the second most traveled line, behind the Red line. Pre-COVID, in 2019, the daily ridership on the Orange line was 201,000. According to the MBTA, ridership is still down from pre-pandemic levels.  As of June, ridership on the Red and Orange lines was down about 50%. On the Blue Line, it was down 44%.

Fun Fact: The Orange line opened in 1901, and I wouldn't be surprised if some of those trains were still in service. Lol

With all the issues on the T, a lot of people are calling for them to drop the fees. Rep. Ayanna Pressley and Sen. Ed Markey are both calling on the T to make it free during the Orange line shutdown. They both say that making the T free during this time would help ensure that riders won't be financially impacted during the shutdown. They also say in a press release that this could help with "addressing the transit gaps that have deepened the racial and economic disparities in our communities. In addition, fare-free transit would also help lower costs for riders during a time of rising inflation."

There are a lot of moving parts to this shutdown, and the MBTA recently released A Rider’s Guide to Planning Ahead.  Here are 9 Things You Need to Know About the Orange and Green Line Shutdowns.

The MBTA is fulling shutting down the Orange Line, from Oak Grove to Forest Hills. The shutdown will happen starting Friday, August 19th at 9pm through Sunday, September 18th.

From the T: "The closure will address a maintenance backlog and planned construction investments, all of which are focused on safety improvements and returning the system closer to a state of good repair. This extended full access closure will bring to Orange Line riders an improved overall quality of service, faster travel times, and increased service reliability."

The Green Line will have shutdowns too. That line will shut down starting on Monday, August 22nd through Sunday, September 18th. Service will be suspended between Government Center and Union Square. The shutdown will allow the T to finish the final-phase construction needed to open the Medford Branch of the Green Line. It's now scheduled to open in the fall.

The MBTA will be providing onsite signage to help commuters. There will be in-station signs to show people where to go at all affected stations.

There will also be "feather flag banners" that will be highly visible, and will show people the boarding areas at each stop.

Look for Transit Ambassadors. The T is increasing the number of ambassador staff to help commuters with any issues that may arise.

The T has a trip planner tool to help riders identify the best route for them to take. You can access the MBTA Trip Planner Tool HERE.

Think you're in the clear because you drive into Boston? Not so fast. Governor Baker and T officials said that the 30-day Orange Line shutdown is going to cause severe traffic congestion throughout Boston because of the increase in shuttle buses. They warned that drivers should avoid downtown Boston, and that cyclists and walkers should be extra careful because the shuttle buses are bigger than the regular MBTA buses and have different blind spots and turning curves.

During the shutdown, you can use the Commuter Rail within the City of Boston FREE. All you have to do is show your CharlieCard or your Charlie Ticket on board. This includes Zones 1A, 1, and 2 on all Commuter Rail lines.

The Charlie Card doesn't have to have money on it either. Just show the card. If you don't have one, you can get one at Boston Public Libraries.

Riders with disabilities have long had issues with accessibility on the MBTA. Advocates have called for more accessible replacement shuttles during shutdowns, and say that even when using shuttles, they may be compliant, but not necessarily a good experience.

The MBTA has provided in-depth accessibility instructions for riders, and you can check it out on Page 11 in A Rider's Guide To Planning Ahead. With all the planning and details, it's unfortunate that it will probably not be enough for riders with disabilities. Let's hope that those concerns will be addressed during the shutdown.

Boston will be offering FREE BlueBikes for anyone who wants to use one during the Orange Line shutdown. The free passes will give people an unlimited number of 45-minute trips. If you want to join the program, download the BlueBikes app or HERE during the shutdown.

Twitter - @MBTA

Instagram - @theMBTA

Facebook - The MBTA

YouTube - MBTA GM

TikTok - @TheMBTA

For an even more in-depth look at what you need to know, check out the MBTA's A Rider's Guide To Planning Ahead.

https://cdn.mbta.com/sites/default/files/2022-08/2022-08-12-ol-gl-closures-a-riders-guide-to-planning-ahead.pdf

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