Upcoming Weekend Service Changes on Orange, Green, Red Lines in January

The MBTA today announced upcoming service changes this month on the Orange, Green, and Red lines. 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 January in the downtown Boston area. Additionally, the Medford Branch of the Green Line will be replaced with shuttle bus service from start to end of service on Sunday, January 8, to accommodate water line work. The Red Line will also experience service changes during the weekend of January 7-8 in order for the MBTA to perform work at JFK/UMass station.

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 and Green Line trains will bypass Haymarket station during the weekends of January 7-8 and January 21-22. 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.
- Closures will also take place on the Orange Line between Back Bay and North Station and on the Green Line between North Station and Government Center Station during the weekend of January 14-15. Orange Line riders are asked to use Green Line service between Copley and Government Center stations. Green Line service between North Station and Government Center Station will be replaced with shuttle bus service. The purpose of these weekend diversions is to accommodate the private Garage demolition work. The MBTA will also perform maintenance on track, signal, and power systems, including the replacement of rail between Chinatown and Tufts Medical Center stations.
- 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.
Green Line Medford Branch trolleys will also be replaced with accessible shuttle bus service between Medford/Tufts and East Somerville stations in both directions from start to end of service on Sunday, January 8. The purpose of this one-day diversion is to perform emergency repair work on the water lines that service Medford/Tufts station, which require additional insulation. Riders may also utilize Bus Routes 80 and 87 for service throughout the area on January 8.
Red Line Ashmont and Braintree Branch trains will be replaced with accessible shuttle buses between Broadway and Ashmont stations and between Broadway and North Quincy stations during the weekend of January 7-8. The purpose of this weekend diversion is to perform work on the pedestrian bridge between Columbia Road and the lobby at JFK/UMass station. After necessary repairs are completed, the MBTA will reopen the pedestrian ramp at Columbia Road.