MBTA – Red Line Service Suspension

Hi Mooviters,

MBTA is continuing to improve service on the Red Line. There will be weekend service suspensions. 

Here is what you need to know:

• Red Line service will be suspended between Alewife and Kendall/MIT beginning at approximately 8:15 PM through the end of service on Friday, July 12, and from Alewife to JFK/UMass during the weekends of July 13 – 14 and July 27 – 28.
• Red Line service continues to be suspended between Alewife and Kendall/MIT July 15 – 26 on weekdays, between Alewife and Park Street during weekend of July 20 – 21 and weekday evenings beginning at 8:30 PM July 15 – 26.

The MBTA is today reminding riders of the upcoming multi-day Red Line service suspension and providing an update on weekend service outages on July 13 – 14 and July 27 – 28.  

Red Line service will be replaced with shuttle bus service between Alewife and Kendall/MIT beginning at approximately 8:15 PM through the end of service on Friday, July 12. Free and accessible shuttle buses will make stops at all stations.

Planned Red Line service change during the weekends of July 13 – 14 and July 27 – 28 have been extended with service suspended from Alewife to JFK/UMass. This decision comes after a thorough review of the work required and logistical challenges following recent overnight work to prepare for the work taking place during the service outage. With the goal of significantly improving service reliability and reducing travel times for thousands of daily riders, the extended outage during these weekends allows for the installation of over three and a half miles (19,200 feet) of new rail that will allow the MBTA to lift seven speed restrictions along this heavily traveled corridor. 

During the weekend July 13 – 14 and July 27 – 28 service suspension, the following alternate service options will be available:

• Shuttle Buses:
   
  • Local shuttle bus services will make all stops to all closed stations between Alewife and Park Street. 
     
  • An additional local shuttle bus service will make all stops to all closed stations between Park Street and JFK/UMass.
     
  • Riders desiring to travel beyond Park Street in either direction will need to transfer between these shuttle services at Park Street. Shuttle service has been designed in this way to keep shuttle buses moving through traffic efficiently, utilize existing shuttle plans from previous service suspensions, and best manage the length of the service shutdown. 
     
• Commuter Rail:
   
  • The Commuter Rail will be fare free between Braintree, Quincy Center, JFK/UMass, and South Station. Regular fares should be purchased beyond Braintree.
     
  • Riders are encouraged to consider the Fitchburg Commuter Rail Line for fare-free service between Porter and North Station. Regular fares should be purchased beyond Porter. 
     
  • Bus Route 77 will be fare-free within Cambridge. 

As previously announced, Red Line service will be also suspended between Alewife and Kendall/MIT from July 15 – 26. During the weekend of July 20 – 21 and during weekday evenings starting at approximately 8:30 PM through the end of service, the service suspension will be extended to Park Street (meaning Red Line service will be suspended between Alewife and Park Street). 

Bus Route 77 will continue to be fare-free within Cambridge. There will also be three free and accessible shuttle bus options for Red Line riders:

• Local shuttle buses will make all stops to all closed stations. 
   
  • Weekdays after 8:30 PM and on weekends, the local shuttle bus will make stops at all closed stations.
     
• Express shuttle buses will make stops between Alewife, Porter, and Kendall/MIT on weekdays before 8:30PM. 
   
• A shuttle bus “loop” will make stops at Harvard, Central, and Kendall/MIT on weekdays before 8:30PM.

Riders also continue to be encouraged to consider the Fitchburg Commuter Rail Line for fare-free service between Porter and North Station. Regular fares should be purchased beyond Porter. An additional weekday “shuttle train” will operate hourly between North Station and Porter. This shuttle train along with the existing service on the Fitchburg Line means trains will operate every 30 minutes on weekdays between Porter and North Station, essentially doubling Commuter Rail service.

You ride, we guide,

The USA Moovit Team