MBTA Red Line partial 16-day shutdown for ‘critical’ track work faces morning commute test

BOSTON — A large portion of the Red Line will be shut down as workers look to update one of the MBTA’s oldest segments of track.

The Red Line Ashmont Branch between the JFK/UMass and Ashmont Stations and the Mattapan Line between Ashmont and Mattapan Stations will be suspending service for 16 days from Saturday, October 14, through Sunday, October 29.

Service on both lines will resume on October 30.

MBTA riders will be able to ride free shuttle buses covering the portion of the track undergoing repairs.

The MBTA says free, wheelchair-accessible shuttle buses are set to run from JFK/UMass to Ashmont every two to three minutes, and off-peak and weekends will run every seven to eight minutes. On the Mattapan Line, the shuttles will run every 12 to 15 minutes during peak and off-peak times.

Workers will replace rail, ties, and ballasts to improve the reliability of the track. According to the MBTA, the much-needed maintenance would take crews only working nights and weekends for around six months to complete.

“It is what it is,” said Silton Barnett of Dorchester, who is not thrilled with this temporary change. “This is Boston, what can we do.”

“Safety of the MBTA system is paramount, and this 16-day closure allows us to address many of the Red Line’s worst speed restrictions much faster than we’ve been able to accomplish during night and weekend work,” said MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng. “We understand service changes can be frustrating, and I want to thank the public for their patience while we perform this critical and targeted work between JFK/UMass and Ashmont Stations and on the Mattapan Line.”

Riders will also be able to find more information on this service change through in-station signage, in-station public announcements, and at mbta.com/alerts.

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

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