Updated: Building A Better T: Third of 6 Weekend Orange Line Diversions Starts Friday Night

Updated on October 18, 2019

Work is being done as part of the 2019 Capital Acceleration Plan

Diagram of the Orange and Green lines. No train service between Sullivan Square and Tufts Medical Center. Shuttles run between Sullivan Square and Haymarket, where you can switch to the Green Line. Three Orange Line stations are not served at all (by either train or shuttle): State, Downtown Crossing, and Chinatown.

Today the MBTA reminded customers that weekend Orange Line service between Sullivan Square and Tufts Medical Center Stations will again be suspended this weekend beginning at 8:45 PM on Friday through to the start of service on Monday, October 21.

“I want to again thank our customers for their continued patience as we make progress on building a better T,” said MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak. “These shutdowns give us a valuable work window of time to accelerate improvements in safety and reliability of the T, both now and in the future.”

During these weekend shutdowns, bus shuttles are provided between Sullivan Square and Haymarket Stations. There will be no shuttle bus service to Orange Line stations at State, Downtown Crossing, and Chinatown. Extra weekend Commuter Rail service (Saturdays and Sundays only) is also operating between Forest Hills and South Station. Customers can find more information on alternate travel options, including details on extra Commuter Rail service, at mbta.com/OLwork.

This suspension of Orange Line service is the third of 6 consecutive weekends and is part of the MBTA’s 2019 Capital Acceleration Plan, which allows the MBTA to expedite upgrades to core infrastructure and to perform maintenance activities. Last weekend’s shutdown and the 4 more to come allow the MBTA to complete work on the Orange Line level of these stations almost a year earlier than previously planned. MBTA crews and contractors also continue to replace pit track in closed Orange Line stations; perform a variety of station repairs to platforms, elevators, stairways, and fare equipment; perform track and power maintenance in tunnels; and perform tunnel debris clean-up work, reducing the risk of smoke and fire hazards.

During last weekend’s Orange Line closure, crews completed the following:

The replacement of 380 feet of track, improving reliability and reducing service disruptions;
Station brightening work including cleaning, washing, and re-painting of walls, floors, light fixtures, and ceilings on platform areas at State (both platforms) and Haymarket (northbound/Oak Grove-bound);
The replacement of additional treading on the Summer Street stairway at Downtown Crossing;
Preventative maintenance and cleaning of 4 air conditioning units in Signal and Communications Rooms at Haymarket;
The replacement of flooring within elevators at Downtown Crossing;
The complete overhaul of 5 faregates at Chinatown (southbound/Forest Hills-bound) as well as 9 faregates at State (3 at the northbound/Oak Grove-bound City Hall entrance, 3 at the Water Street entrance, and 3 at the Old State House entrance);
Leak repairs at Haymarket and North Station (northbound/Oak Grove-bound) as well as concrete work;
Utility surveys between Downtown Crossing and State (northbound/Oak Grove-bound).