August Service Changes: MBTA Continues Repair Work to Improve Reliability Across the System

Last updated August 1, 2024*

Service changes are planned on the Green, Orange, Mattapan, Red, and Haverhill lines.

The MBTA today announced service changes in August on the Green, Orange, Mattapan, Red, and Haverhill lines. The MBTA will continue working to maintain its infrastructure and improve reliability across the system.

Riders can find more information on service changes through in-station signage, in-station public announcements, and at mbta.com/alerts. Transit Ambassadors and MBTA staff will be available on-site to offer information and assistance during these service changes. Riders are encouraged to subscribe to T-Alerts or to follow the MBTA on X (the site formerly known as Twitter) @MBTA, @MBTA_CR, and @MBTA_CR_Alerts for up-to-date service information.

On the Green Line:

Green Line B branch service will be suspended between Boston College and Babcock Street every day for 10 days from August 2 – 11.
- Free and accessible shuttle bus service will make stops between Boston College and Babcock Street.
- Shuttle buses will not service Allston Street, Griggs Street, or Packard's Corner for accessibility reasons.
- Riders can find complete information soon at mbta.com/GreenLine.
- This service change is in place to perform necessary work as part of the Track Improvement Program. The Track Improvement Program will replace tracks and ties to alleviate speed restrictions along the line while crews maximize the outage by performing signal work and station amenity upgrades, including new lighting, painting, tiling, power washing, and more.

On the Orange Line:

Orange Line service will be suspended between Wellington and Back Bay during the weekends of August 3 – 4 and August 17 – 18.
- Free and accessible shuttle buses will make all stops between Wellington and North Station.
- For service through the downtown area near Back Bay, riders are encouraged to utilize parallel Green Line service between North Station and Copley.
- There will be free fares with the fare gates open at Wellington, North Station, Back Bay, and on the inbound side of Copley for riders making connections to the Green Line.
- Riders are encouraged to consider the Haverhill Commuter Rail Line for fare-free service between Oak Grove, Malden Center, and North Station.
- These weekend service changes are in place to accommodate critical signal work in this area of the Orange Line.
Orange Line service will be suspended between Forest Hills and Back Bay during the weekend of August 10 – 11.
- Free and accessible shuttle buses will make all stops between Forest Hills and Back Bay.
- Riders are encouraged to consider the Commuter Rail for fare-free service between Forest Hills, Ruggles, Back Bay, and South Station.
- Accessible vans will be available to riders.
- This weekend service change is in place for crews to perform maintenance work.

On the Mattapan Line:

Mattapan Line service will be suspended between Mattapan and Ashmont beginning at approximately 8:30 PM on Friday, August 16, and through the weekend of August 17 – 18.
- Free and accessible shuttle buses will make all stops between Mattapan and Ashmont.
- This service change is in place to perform track work along the line and switch work within the Mattapan car yard.

On the Red Line:

Red Line service will be suspended between JFK/UMass and Kendall/MIT every day for seven days from August 19 – 25.
- Free and accessible shuttle bus service will make stops between JFK/UMass and Kendall/MIT with the exception of Park Street and Downtown Crossing.
  - Riders heading southbound should instead disembark at Otis Street @ Summer Street and use the Winter Street concourse to travel between Downtown Crossing and Park Street.
  - Riders heading northbound should instead disembark at Federal Street @ Franklin Street and use the Winter Street concourse to travel between Downtown Crossing and Park Street.
  - Shuttle buses will also serve State (on the Orange and Blue lines) and Haymarket (on the Orange and Green lines) for easier connections to other subway lines.
- There will be free fares with the fare gates open at JFK/UMass and Kendall/MIT.
- Riders are encouraged to consider fare-free Commuter Rail service between Braintree and South Station as well as between Porter and North Station.
- Riders can find complete information soon at mbta.com/RedLine.
- This service change is in place to perform necessary work as part of the Track Improvement Program. The Track Improvement Program will replace tracks and ties to alleviate speed restrictions along the line while crews maximize the outage by performing signal work and station amenity upgrades, including new lighting, painting, tiling, power washing, and more.

On the Haverhill Commuter Rail Line:

A special Construction Schedule is in effect on the Haverhill Commuter Rail Linethrough the end of this summer. The Construction Schedule is available at mbta.com.
- During this time, mid-day inbound trains will operate express between Ballardvale and North Station.
- For service to Boston, passengers are encouraged to consider a free connection with Bus Route 137, which operates parallel service.
- Passengers may also consider connecting with Lowell and Haverhill Line train service at Anderson/Woburn station.
As previously announced, Haverhill Station is temporarily closed to passengers through summer 2025.
- Passengers are asked to instead board and disembark at Bradford. Bradford is about a half mile from Haverhill (about a two-minute drive or a 10-minute walk), features a parking lot with over 300 spaces, and includes outdoor bike storage racks.
- An accessible van is operating between Bradford and Haverhill, making connections with trains at Bradford in both directions from the first train to the last train seven days a week. The van’s schedule is available at mbta.com.
- This service change is in place to accommodate the replacement of the South Elm Bridge, which carries the Haverhill Commuter Rail Line over South Elm Street between Bradford and Haverhill. Using accelerated bridge construction techniques to reduce customer and traffic impacts, the MBTA will replace the nearly-120-year-old bridge with a modern single-span structure with a useful life of 75 years. When construction is complete, Haverhill Line passengers will be provided with a safer, more resilient, and more reliable ride with fewer service disruptions related to the old bridge.

The MBTA previously announced service changes in July. 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.

* On July 23, the above was edited to note that shuttle buses will not service Allston Street, Griggs Street, or Packard's Corner during the August 2 – 11 Green Line B branch service suspension.

On July 25, the above was edited to include the August 10 – 11 Orange Line service suspension between Forest Hills and Back Bay.

On August 1, the above was edited to correct the start time of the Mattapan service suspension on Friday, August 16, to 8:30 PM (instead of 8:45 PM).