MBTA Successfully Completes Expedited Critical Track Work on Red Line Ashmont Branch and Mattapan Line, Removes All Speed Restrictions

Train service today resumed following the 16-day shutdown of the Ashmont Branch and Mattapan Line.

Today, the MBTA announced the successful completion of critical track work on the Red Line’s Ashmont Branch between JFK/UMass and Ashmont Stations and the Mattapan Line. Shuttle buses replaced service on the Ashmont Branch and Mattapan Line for 16 days from October 14-29, with regular service resuming at the start of service today.

“The MBTA is proud to have successfully completed this critical work on an expedited timeline. As a result, Red Line and Mattapan Line riders are now experiencing safer, faster, and more reliable service. I want to thank the public for their patience as we completed critical infrastructure work along the Ashmont Branch and Mattapan Line over the last 16 days,” said MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng. “I thank the MBTA team for their tireless efforts. As we move towards delivering essential work to restore service levels across our entire system, lessons learned will be incorporated and enable us to continue to streamline efforts and better serve the public.”

This diversion allowed crews to replace nearly 5,000 feet of rail and 1,174 ties on the Ashmont Branch and nearly 4,700 feet of rail and 1,380 ties on the Mattapan Line, improving reliability and reducing maintenance needs. Following this work, all speed restrictions that were in place prior to the shutdown have been alleviated in this area, improving travel times by over 10 minutes for Ashmont Branch and Mattapan Line riders. The MBTA expedited this important work by working around the clock for 16 days with unencumbered access, which would have otherwise taken six months to complete if crews only worked during nights and weekends.

Crews performing in-station work on the stairway areas at JFK/UMass station.

The MBTA also maximized these full-access closures by performing a variety of in-station work along both lines to improve the rider experience, including new floor tiling, ceiling and platform canopy repairs, new paint, new tactile edging on platforms, stairway repairs, new lighting, vegetation removal, and power washing.

The Ashmont Branch serves approximately 40,000 riders per day, and the Mattapan Line serves approximately 3,700 riders daily.