Green Line D Branch Track and Signal Work Resuming in Brookline on March 11

Shuttle graphic between Reservoir and Kenmore, with no service at Beaconsfield.

The MBTA has announced that evening shuttle buses will replace Green Line D branch trolley service between Kenmore and Reservoir Stations in both directions beginning at approximately 8:30 PM through the end of service on Mondays through Fridays from March 11, 2019, to April 5, 2019, due to state-of-good-repair work on the Green Line’s track and signal systems.

“The work to upgrade the track and modernize the D branch’s signal system will be a major step toward providing the kind of service along the Green Line that our customers deserve and should expect,” said MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak. “While we understand that temporarily replacing service with shuttle buses can be an inconvenience, doing so allows the opportunity to expedite this necessary work under our larger program to transform the Green Line.”

This work is the continuation of the Green Line D branch’s Track and Signal Replacement Project, which is aimed at replacing approximately 6.5 miles of signal infrastructure, replacing 25,000 feet of track, and replacing special track work between Beaconsfield and Riverside Stations. The project will also centralize signal equipment at D branch stations, replace antiquated signal equipment with modern technology, and replace jointed rail with continuous welded rail. Modern signal systems are less likely to experience issues or disruptions, resulting in fewer delays and increased Green Line reliability. The upgraded infrastructure will also result in the removal of speed restrictions along the D branch.

Evening work from 8:30 PM to 5 AM on weekdays will resume beginning on Monday, March 11, in Brookline between Brookline Hills and Reservoir Stations. During the first 2 weeks, workers will move construction materials to the site and weld rail segments together. During the week of March 25, workers will replace railroad ties and ballast.

Noise issues may occur after 9 PM as workers cut rail with a saw or torch, then later in the project when the track is "tamped" to the proper elevation. Efforts to minimize noise levels include using silencers or mufflers on equipment, limiting truck and equipment idling, using sound-deadening materials on trucks and equipment, using noise blankets and shielding where possible, and monitoring noise levels. The MBTA encourages area residents and the public to report a noise complaint or issue by calling the 24/7 noise hotline at 508-676-3550.

Workers will also replace track and signals between Brookline Hills and Reservoir Stations during the weekends of March 23 and 24, April 6 and 7, and April 20 and 21 when shuttle bus service replacement is already in place for related projects on the D branch.

Shuttle bus service replacement will shift to Newton between Riverside and Newton Highlands Stations on Monday, April 8. Work will continue in Newton and Brookline, shifting to the tracks between Newton Highlands and Brookline Hills Stations beginning in summer 2019 through December 2019.

Additional construction is planned from April 2020 through December 2020. Over 17 weekends in 2019 and 2020, shuttle buses will also replace trolley service on various portions of the D branch from the beginning of service Saturday to the end of service on Sunday.