MBTA Plans to Resume Blue Line Service Effective Monday Morning

Restoration work to continue overnight; customers should allow for extra travel time on Monday

A crew replaces trackside signal equipment at Orient Heights Station

With restoration efforts scheduled to continue overnight, the MBTA is currently planning to resume Blue Line service with the start of service on Monday, March 18.

Blue Line service was replaced with shuttle buses following a 9-alarm building fire in East Boston on Friday. Efforts to combat that fire resulted in significant flooding along the Blue Line track area at Orient Heights, damaging signal and power equipment.

A crew inspects equipment at the Orient Heightspower substation — A crew inspects equipment at the Orient Heights power substation

Working around the clock throughout the weekend, MBTA forces were able to remediate the flooding and make repairs to critical track and power infrastructure. Because some restoration work will continue throughout the night, bus shuttles will continue through the end of service on Sunday. In the event that repair work continues into Monday, Blue Line customers should allow for extra travel time tomorrow morning.

“I want to thank our customers for their patience as we worked to restore the Blue Line to full service following the disruption caused by Friday night’s fire,” said MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak. “I especially want to thank our teams who worked around the clock to remediate flooding, and expedite repair and replacement of key power and signal equipment. While work continues overnight, we’re asking our customers to allow for extra travel time tomorrow morning.”