The MBTA will attempt to fix some of its last remaining slow zones on the Orange Line with a 13-day closure on the segment south of Back Bay station starting Tuesday.
The service interruption is part of the T's ongoing Track Improvement Plan, which has been closing down segments of the rapid transit network over the past year to eliminate the track problems and slow zones that proliferated under the administration of former Governor Charlie Baker.
The closure will extend from Forest Hills to North Station during the holiday weekend of Oct. 12-14.
Alternative service
As with past shutdowns on this segment of the Orange Line, the T will operate shuttle buses to serve all stations between Forest Hills and Back Bay, and the shuttle buses will continue on to connect with the Green Line at Copley station.
During the weekend of Oct. 12-14, when the downtown segment of the Orange Line will also be shut down, riders traveling between Back Bay and North Station should plan to use the Green Line instead.
The T will also offer fare-free service on regional rail trains between Forest Hills, Ruggles, Back Bay, and South Station. The T will have a temporary schedule in effect with additional service.
During peak commuting hours, trains connecting these three stations should arrive every 10 to 20 minutes. View a consolidated timetable here.
Finally, the City of Boston and Bluebikes will offer five free unlocks for rides anywehre on the Bluebikes system. To claim the credit, enter the promo code MBTAORANGEOCT in the Bluebikes mobile phone app anytime during the duration of the closure.
27 slow zones to go
As of Monday Oct. 7, the MBTA's speed restrictions dashboard reported 27 slow zones on the Orange Line, two thirds of which are on the Southwest Corridor tracks between Forest Hills and Back Bay stations.
According to a September update to the MBTA board of directors, the T expects to fix about 12 of those slow zones over the next two weeks.
Another 9 slow zones still affect the Orange Line tracks north of Sullivan station. The T is planning another week-long closure of the line from Oak Grove to North Station to fix those slow zones during the last week of October.
