MBTA announces service changes for January

BOSTON — Although slow zones have been lifted on all lines of the MBTA, service changes are coming to in January.

Weekend service changes will take place on the Orange Line as well as the Newburyport/Rockport and Haverhill Commuter Rail lines to accommodate MassDOT’s Maffa Way/Mystic Avenue Bridge Superstructure Replacements project.

Weekend service changes will also take place on the Silver Line for South Station drainage improvements and on the Red Line for signal upgrades.

The MBTA is in the process of finalizing its construction schedule for the 2025 calendar year.

“With the MBTA’s Track Improvement Program complete, work next year will focus on other critical priorities, including continuing to modernize the Red and Orange Line signal system to provide a more reliable trip for riders, accessibility upgrades, performing regular and necessary infrastructure maintenance, and more,” the MBTA said in a release.

On the Silver Line:

• Silver Line buses will operate at the street level during the following dates:
• Beginning at approximately 8:30 p.m. on Friday, January 3, and continuing through the weekend of January 4 – 5.
• Beginning at approximately 8:30 p.m. on Friday, January 10, and continuing through the weekend of January 11 – 12.
• Connections for South Station can be made on Summer Street @ Atlantic Avenue.
• Connections to World Trade Center Station can be made on Congress Street at World Trade Center Station.
• Connections for Courthouse Station can be made on Seaport Boulevard (outbound side).
• During this service change, Silver Line buses will charge a Local Bus fare of $1.70 one way (or $0.85 reduced fare) and allow for transfers to and from the Red Line at South Station.
• This service change is in place to perform drainage improvement work in the Silver Line tunnel at South Station.

On the Orange Line:

• Orange Line service will be suspended between Oak Grove and North Station during the following dates:
• Beginning at approximately 8:30 p.m. on Friday, January 17, and continuing through the entire holiday weekend of January 18 – 20 (including Martin Luther King, Jr. Day).
• Beginning at approximately 8:30 p.m. on Friday, January 31, and continuing through the entire weekend of February 1 – 2.
• Free and accessible shuttle buses will make all stops between Oak Grove and North Station.
• Express shuttle buses will stop at Oak Grove, Malden Center, and North Station.
• The Haverhill Commuter Rail Line will be fare-free during the evening of January 17, all day on January 20, and the evening of January 31.
• Riders should note that the Haverhill Commuter Rail Line is suspended between Ballardvale and North Station during the weekends of January 18 – 19 and February 1 – 2.
• This service change is in place to support critical work as part of MassDOT’s Maffa Way/Mystic Avenue Bridge Superstructure Replacements project, which will replace the two deteriorated bridge superstructures and improve bicycle, pedestrian, and transit facilities.

On the Red Line:

• Red Line service will be suspended between JFK/UMass and Braintree during the weekend of January 25 – 26:
• Free and accessible shuttle buses will make all stops between JFK/UMass and Braintree.
• Riders are strongly encouraged to use the Middleborough, Kington, and Greenbush Commuter Rail lines for fare-free service between Braintree, Quincy Center, JFK/UMass, and South Station. Commuter Rail schedules are available on mbta.com.
• Travelling between Braintree and South Station on the Commuter Rail is about 24 minutes. Riders should note that regular Commuter Rail fares will be collected for travel beyond Braintree.
• This service change is in place to accomplish signal upgrade work on the Red Line.

On the Newburyport/Rockport Commuter Rail Line:

• Newburyport/Rockport Commuter Rail Line service will be suspended between North Station and Swampscott during the weekends of January 18 – 19 and February 1 – 2.
• Express shuttle buses will operate directly between Swampscott and North Station.
• Shuttle buses will also make local stops between Swampscott, Lynn within the busway at the legacy station, Wonderland for connections to the Blue Line subway, Chelsea Station for connections to the Silver Line 3 (SL3), and North Station. A dedicated diversion schedule will be in effect and available on mbta.com soon.
• The last outbound shuttle bus will also make a special late-night stop at Salem and Beverly Depot.
• Commuter Rail fares will be free between Swampscott and Newburyport or Rockport.
• Passengers may utilize the SL3, which travels through Chelsea and East Boston to Logan Airport, the Seaport District, and South Station, making connections to many area bus routes (including the 111, 112, and 116) as well as the Blue and Red lines.
• This service change was in place to support critical work as part of MassDOT’s Maffa Way/Mystic Avenue Bridge Superstructure Replacements project, which will replace the two deteriorated bridge superstructures and improve bicycle, pedestrian, and transit facilities.

On the Haverhill Commuter Rail Line:

• Haverhill Commuter Rail Line service will be suspended between Ballardvale and North Station during the weekends of January 18 – 19 and February 1 – 2.
• A dedicated diversion schedule will be available soon on mbta.com.
• Free and accessible shuttle bus service will replace train service between Reading and North Station. A second free and accessible shuttle bus service will operate between Anderson/Woburn and Reading.
• Regular Commuter Rail fares will be collected between Haverhill and Ballardvale as well as Anderson/Woburn and North Station.
• North Wilmington Station will not have shuttle bus service with passengers encouraged to utilize Lowell Line service at Wilmington Station instead.
• Train service for passengers between Ballardvale and Haverhill will be re-routed along the Lowell Line after Ballardvale, making one additional stop at Anderson/Woburn and then running express to North Station. Riders desiring service to or from Reading and Oak Grove should disembark at Anderson/Woburn and board the shuttle bus service.
• Bus Route 137 will be fare-free.
• This service change was in place to support critical work as part of MassDOT’s Maffa Way/Mystic Avenue Bridge Superstructure Replacements project, which will replace the two deteriorated bridge superstructures and improve bicycle, pedestrian, and transit facilities.

The MBTA previously announced service changes in December. More information is available here.

The MBTA understands how these service changes affect riders’ daily travels during this period, but we are committed to improving your travels long term with more reliable, timely, and safe service. We thank riders for their patience as we deliver this important work and for continuing to ride our system.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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