Today, the MBTA announced the successful completion of critical track work on the Red Line’s Ashmont Branch between JFK/UMass and Ashmont Stations and the Mattapan Line. Shuttle buses replaced service on the Ashmont Branch and Mattapan Line for 16 days from October 14-29, with regular service resuming at the start of service today.
This diversion allowed crews to replace nearly 5,000 feet of rail and 1,174 ties on the Ashmont Branch and nearly 4,700 feet of rail and 1,380 ties on the Mattapan Line, improving reliability and reducing maintenance needs. Following this work, all speed restrictions that were in place prior to the shutdown have been alleviated in this area, improving travel times by over 10 minutes for Ashmont Branch and Mattapan Line riders. The MBTA expedited this important work by working around the clock for 16 days with unencumbered access, which would have otherwise taken six months to complete if crews only worked during nights and weekends.
The MBTA also maximized these full-access closures by performing a variety of in-station work along both lines to improve the rider experience, including new floor tiling, ceiling and platform canopy repairs, new paint, new tactile edging on platforms, stairway repairs, new lighting, vegetation removal, and power washing.
The Ashmont Branch serves approximately 40,000 riders per day, and the Mattapan Line serves approximately 3,700 riders daily.
-via Press Release