Upcoming Service Changes on Orange, Green, Red, Haverhill Commuter Rail Lines in February

The MBTA today announced upcoming service changes next month on the Orange, Green, and Red lines as well as the Haverhill Commuter Rail Line. Because of the continued demolition of the Government Center Garage by private developer HYM Construction, Orange and Green line service changes will take place in February in the downtown Boston area. Orange Line track and rail fastener replacement work will also take place. Red Line service changes will take place during the weekend of February 25-26 in order for the MBTA to perform power, lighting, and drainage work near Alewife as well as rail replacement work near Harvard. Haverhill Commuter Rail Line service changes will take place between Haverhill and Reading from February 4-12 in order for the MBTA to perform Automated Train Control (ATC) work.

The MBTA has been working closely with the City of Boston and the developer in order to accommodate the private Government Center Garage work affecting both the Orange and Green lines.
- Riders should note that Haymarket-area buses will not be diverted during these weekends and will continue to stop at the temporary Haymarket bus stops. A list of Haymarket bus routes and these temporary stops is available at mbta.com.
- Orange Line train service will be suspended between Ruggles and North Station during the weekends of February 4-5 and February 18-19. With Orange Line service already suspended to accommodate the private Garage demolition work, the MBTA is leveraging this opportunity by extending the service change to Ruggles in order to perform additional track work, including the replacement of rail fasteners between Back Bay and Ruggles stations. Orange Line train service will also be suspended between Back Bay and North Station on Saturday, February 11, from start of service until 8 PM. Orange Line riders are asked to use Green Line service between Copley and Government Center stations during these weekend service changes. During the weekends of February 4-5 and February 18-19, free and accessible shuttle buses will also operate between Copley on the Green Line and Ruggles on the Orange Line, making stops at Back Bay and Massachusetts Avenue stations.
- Green Line trolley service will be replaced with free, accessible shuttle bus service between North Station and Government Center Station during the weekends of February 4-5 and February 18-19 as well as on Saturday, February 11, from start of service until 8 PM.
- Orange and Green line trains will bypass Haymarket station during the weekend of February 25-26. Orange Line riders should exit at North Station or State and walk to the Haymarket area. Green Line riders should exit at North Station or Government Center Station. These stations are less than a half-mile from Haymarket, or a four- to eight-minute walk.
- Extra MBTA personnel and Transit Ambassadors will be on-hand to assist customers. Accessibility vans will also be available for on-demand transportation – riders should ask MBTA personnel for information and assistance. More information on alternate paths of travel will be available at mbta.com/alerts.
- Riders are also advised that, due to the complexity of the continued demolition of the Government Center Garage by HYM Construction, additional weekend diversions will be necessary in the coming months to accommodate the ongoing work. The MBTA apologizes for this inconvenience and will announce additional service changes in advance as they are confirmed and scheduled. Riders are encouraged to subscribe to T-Alerts or to follow the MBTA on Twitter for up-to-date service information.
Red Line trains will be replaced with free, accessible shuttle bus service between Alewife and Kendall/MIT stations during the weekend of February 25-26. This weekend service diversion will allow MBTA crews to perform critical power, lighting, and track drainage work within the tunnels near Alewife as well as rail replacement work that will remove a speed restriction near Harvard Station on the southbound side of the tracks.
Haverhill Commuter Rail Line trains will be replaced with free, accessible shuttle bus service between Haverhill and Reading Stations for nine days from Saturday, February 4, through Sunday, February 12, to perform ATC work. ATC is a federally mandated safety system that sends signals to trains about potentially unsafe conditions, automatically slowing and stopping a train if needed. Passengers should note that bicycles are not allowed on shuttle buses, and regular Commuter Rail fares will be collected between Reading and North Station.