D Branch Track Upgrades 100% Complete

Green Line Transformation

Train Protection & Track Upgrades 2022

• B Branch: June 21 – July 2
• C Branch: July 11 – July 22
• E Branch: August 6 – August 21
• D Branch: September 24 – October 28
• Project Accomplished

Over the last year, our Green Line Transformation team has continued making vast improvements to safety and reliability across all branches of the oldest transit line in the country. And while we are thrilled with the progress made in transforming the Green Line during these closures, there is still significant work to be done in the coming years in order to provide a level of service that our riders, our communities, and our Commonwealth can be proud of. Throughout the last year, we have completed these closures on time and in the case of this last D Branch closure, ahead of schedule. The work done has resulted in the replacement of over 12,000 feet of track, 10 pedestrian crossings, and six units of special trackwork. Most of all, we have begun installation of the complex wayside equipment for the new Green Line Train Protection System, or GLTPS. This important system is a key safety component to the transformation of the Green Line. And like all safety improvements we perform at Capital Transformation, it will take time and can’t be rushed.

Gwen, a Senior Project Manager for the Green Line Transformation team, is in the field to give us an inside look at the work completed during this D Branch closure.

Gwen: I’m out here on the Green Line D Branch here at Eliot Station where we’re continuing the last of our surges for the 2022 year on the Green Line. Next to me I have a balise, one of the over 200 sensors that were installed for the GLTPS system. This is the first step in installing this safety critical system. Next year, we’ll be moving on to installing equipment on the vehicles to allow them to communicate with these sensors, as well as equipment to allow the sensor to integrate directly into our existing signal system and will allow the trains to communicate in a way that they’ve never been able to before. At the same time, we’ve been doing a significant amount of track work. Behind me you can see track work ongoing at Eliot Station. Here we’ve been full depth track replacement. Over the course of these surges, we’ve done a lot of work, including six pieces of special track work, ten track crossings and over two and a half miles of track, which not only are going to improve the safety and reliability of our system, but also the speed as we addressed multiple speed restrictions. At the same time, we are always looking to work with our partners both within and outside the T, with over a dozen groups partnering with us to get extra work done along the lines during these closures.

Angel: Thank you, Gwen. As Capital Transformation makes more upgrades on the Green Line and beyond in the future, we remain devoted to our riders’ safety and convenience and appreciate their patience and understanding during these closures. We also appreciate our collaborative relationships with Boston, Brookline, Newton, Medford, Somerville, and Cambridge that helped make these improvements possible. This collaboration also includes engaged organizations like Northeastern, BU, BC, the Longwood Collective, the Kenmore Association, the Fenway Alliance, Mission Hill Main Streets, and countless others. Our team is steadfast in our commitment to investing in large, long-term system improvements to better the quality of service for riders and communities we serve. This won’t happen overnight, but rest assured that our riders will continue to be our main focus as we continue building a better T.