Red Line Hi-Rail Access Tunnel Project
We're building a hi-rail access tunnel for work vehicles along the Red Line. A hi-rail vehicle is a work truck equipped with a hydraulic set of train wheels in addition to rubber tires allowing it to operate on railways and surface streets. Right now, the only access tunnel for these vehicles is at Charles/MGH station. The new tunnel will enable shorter and less frequent Red Line shutdowns, faster commutes, and bring the MBTA closer to a state of good repair.
- Design contract awarded: February 2024
- Construction start: June 2026
- Projected completion: March 2028
- Budget: $32.9 million
- Status: 75% design
Building a Better T
As part of our $9.6 billion, 5-year capital investment plan, we're renovating stations, modernizing fare collection systems, upgrading services for our buses, subways, and ferries, and improving the accessibility of the entire system.
Project Features
- Additional Red Line tunnel access point in North Cambridge for construction vehicles
- Paved access road
- Updated pedestrian pathway
Rider Benefits
- Shorter and less frequent Red Line shutdowns and shuttle bus diversions
- Improved service reliability
- Faster commutes
- Reduced carbon emissions due to shorter travel distances for work trains
Neighborhood Impacts
Noise and vibration from construction and impacts to local traffic will be minimal.
Environmental Impacts
The soil at the construction site is contaminated with asbestos, semi-volatile organic compounds, and potentially metals. To keep the surrounding neighborhood safe during construction, crews will:
- Excavate soil under a plan approved by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP)
- Transport contaminated soil off-site immediately after excavating
Plan documents have been sent to the MassDEP Northeast Regional Office and are available on the MassDEP data portal.
View the MassDEP data portal
The site is also within 100 feet of wetlands and has a 1% chance of flooding in any given year. Therefore, we will submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) for approval by the Cambridge Conservation Commission.
Past Events
Contact Us
For questions or comments related the project, send an email to RedLineHiRailTunnel@MBTA.com.