Press Release: 5/22/2025
MBTA Continues Critical Work Across the System in 2025
Posted on May 21, 2025
The MBTA today announced that critical work continues to take place across the subway system this year, all aimed at advancing service improvements for riders.
Following the successful completion of the Track Improvement Program in December 2024, the MBTA has employed lessons learned to make important progress on projects and priorities on the Red, Mattapan, Orange, Green, and Blue lines during temporary service suspensions in the first few months of 2025. Improvement work has also taken place at the Red Line’s Codman Yard facility, improving work areas for MBTA crews and furthering system reliability for riders.
On the Red Line and Mattapan Line
- Continuing Track Improvements:
Red Line Ashmont Branch and Mattapan Line service was replaced with shuttle buses April 1 – 9, with shuttle trains April 10 through the evening of April 29, and again with shuttle buses the evening of April 29 through April 30.
During this time, crews accomplished critical track renewal work, including the replacement of over 10,600 feet of rail on the Ashmont Branch and over 2,000 feet of rail on the Mattapan Line. Crews also upgraded the truck pad at JFK/UMass and completely rebuilt the “Ashmont Diamond” crossover track, which is the important area at the end of the branch that allows Red Line trains to switch tracks and easily turn around. The MBTA took full advantage of the unencumbered access to the track by performing power upgrades, communications enhancements, station improvement work, and more throughout the area.
On the Mattapan Line, 2,000 feet of rail was replaced along with track at the “Mattapan loop,” where trolleys turn around at the end of the line. This loop track is a complicated area that includes a crossover along a curve, which is unique to the MBTA system.
These improvements build upon the critical track work that was accomplished in October 2023, bringing riders a safer, faster, more reliable trip thanks to new track and infrastructure.
- Signal Modernization:
On the Braintree Branch, the MBTA advanced its signal modernization project during weekends in January, February, and March. When complete, the transition to a fully digitized signal system means riders will experience a safer, more reliable trip with reduced wait times between trains and better operational efficiency.
- Critical Codman Yard Expansion and Improvements:
From January through April, MBTA crews continued work to expand and improve the Red Line’s Codman Yard facility. Codman Yard is located just south of Ashmont and houses much of the car fleet, making it a critically important part of providing the reliable service that riders deserve. The MBTA is working to both replace the existing tracks at Codman Yard and add six new storage tracks – when complete, yard capacity will be increased by over 50%. This work will also provide MBTA staff with a safer, more efficient yard space where trains are cleaned, stored, and maintained.
While this important work doesn’t always mean riders are impacted with shuttle bus service suspensions, the upgrades are just as important, promoting a safer work environment and supporting an increased fleet size, which means more frequent service for riders. The MBTA is on track to complete these Codman Yard upgrades in August 2026.
On the Green Line
- Continuing Infrastructure Progress:
Work on the Green Line in February and April focused on maintaining the significant progress in upgrading track and infrastructure. During select weekends, crews focused on replacing about 38 feet of rail and performing tunnel inspections of the downtown portions of the Green Line, replacing about 78 feet of rail at the Lake Street Yard near Boston College at the end of the B Branch, and replacing fiber cable near Lechmere.
All of this critical work means riders will continue to experience a safer, more reliable ride thanks to properly maintained, inspected, and improved infrastructure.
On the Blue Line
- Upgrading Complicated Track Areas:
MBTA crews accomplished work on a unique and complex area of the Blue Line – the “Bowdoin loop track” where trains loop around from the Bowdoin-bound track to the Wonderland-bound track at the end of the line. Two critical power switches in the loop area along with some surrounding switch support infrastructure, rails, and track were very worn and ready to be upgraded.
Crews successfully replaced the switches, track, rail ties, and crossties in these areas of the loop during several weekends in March and April. Crews also removed debris leftover in the tunnel area from many earlier years of maintenance work. A vintage telephone booth was also discovered within the loop’s tunnel, which was most likely used by transit personnel about a century ago to connect with dispatchers, according to Bradley Clarke at the Boston Street Railway Association – today, MBTA staff use modern portable radios instead.
Rehabilitating the Bowdoin loop track, its switches, and ties means a safer work area for track and power personnel, and that the Blue Line will operate more reliably with fewer delays or disruptions at the end of the line, resulting in a smoother, more consistent trip for riders.
On the Orange Line
- Signal Modernization:
The MBTA advanced its signal modernization project on the Orange Line during March. When complete, the transition to a fully digitized signal system means riders will experience a safer, more reliable trip with reduced wait times between trains and better operational efficiency.
- MBTA Work during MassDOT’s Maffa Way / Mystic Avenue Bridge Replacement Project:
The MBTA supported MassDOT’s Maffa Way/Mystic Avenue Bridge Superstructure Replacements project during select weekends in January, February, March, and April when service in some areas was replaced with shuttle buses.
The MBTA took full advantage of these outages by performing Orange Line work as well, including replacing 6,200 feet of rail, accomplishing station improvements to enhance the rider experience, power upgrades and signal modernization for a more reliable trip, and more. A maintenance truck pad was constructed at Assembly, providing construction teams with more convenient access to track areas. Track and tie replacement work also took place to further the T’s goal of raising speeds on the northern part of the Orange Line to 55 MPH where feasible.
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