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Reminder: Accelerated Green Line E Branch Construction to Upgrade Track and Intersections Begins August 2 through August 29  

Posted on July 30, 2021

Contractors will replace track and repave intersections 24 hours a day/7days a week between South Huntington Avenue and Brigham Circle Station. 

Shuttle buses will replace service and businesses will remain open.


Today the MBTA is reminding E Branch riders and neighbors that, beginning Monday, August 2, 2021, through Sunday, August 29, 2021, crews will be working around the clock to replace outdated track ties, ballast, and rail as well as pavement on the Green Line E Branch between South Huntington Avenue and Brigham Circle Station. The MBTA will provide replacement bus service during the Green Line Transformation (GLT) program’s accelerated 28 days of work scheduled for the 2021 Track and Intersection Upgrades Project. This accelerated approach was successfully used in 2020 when GLT completed four weeks of full access improvements on the E Branch, primarily from Northeastern University to Brigham Circle. 

Alternate Green Line Service during Accelerated Work

From Monday, August 2, 2021, through Sunday, August 29, 2021, enhanced Route 39 bus service will provide free alternative travel for those boarding at stops between Heath Street and Brigham Circle. Bus stops will be the same as the Route 39 bus, though some locations may shift occasionally for safety and access during construction. Signs will redirect passengers to any temporarily relocated stops. Customers can visit Green Line E Branch T-Alerts for more information on service changes.

The MBTA hosted a virtual public meeting on July 14, 2021, on the E Branch work. The meeting presentation and recording are available online. 

Acceleration Details

Starting Monday, August 2, crews will work around the clock on weekdays, weeknights, and weekends for a total of 28 days to accelerate construction and ultimately reduce the duration of impacts to riders and neighbors. 

Crews will perform track replacement work 24 hours a day / 7 days a week on Huntington Avenue starting at South Huntington and Parker Hill Avenue, and working toward Brigham Circle Station. During the third week of August, crews will begin to replace the Tremont Street/Francis Street intersection. The intersection upgrades will take approximately one week, during which time only emergency vehicles will have access through the intersection.

Track work will occur in three main segments: 

  • From South Huntington Avenue to Frawley Street. 
  • From Mission Park Drive to Fenwood Road.
  • Tremont Street Intersection.

During the acceleration, there will be lane closures, and some parking spaces will be temporarily unavailable in the work zone. These restrictions are required for storing materials and safely accessing the tracks.

Beginning in the third week of August, vehicles will be detoured around the Francis Street/Tremont Street intersection to allow crews to safely access the track and reconstruct the pavement in this area. Advanced warning signs will be posted for drivers. Access to local businesses will be maintained at all times.

Riders and members of the public can visit www.mbta.com/GLintersections for the latest schedule of work locations. 

Other MBTA Departments, such as the Maintenance Department, may also take this opportunity to complete needed work on the E Branch between Brigham Circle and Heath Street.

Minimizing Noise

As with all construction, some of this work will be noisy. The MBTA implements standard mitigation strategies to minimize noise disruptions to neighbors. Noise levels are monitored, and the MBTA responds to all noise complaints. A 24/7 noise hotline will be available to report a noise issue at 617-222-4100.

More Information

Media Contact Information

For all queries and comments, please contact:

MBTA Press Office