T riders normally associate diversions with large crowds, delays, and missed appointments. Through meticulous planning and, in some cases, reshaping the streets entirely, the MBTA and the city are hoping some of the usual headaches can be avoided.
“The biggest thing is making sure we communicate the alternatives to all of the people who are wanting to get to downtown Boston,” said Edwards. “Which I think will then also help those Orange Line riders by reducing the traffic on the streets.”
By making the commuter rail essentially free to board at stations in Zones 1, 1A, and 2 with a T pass or ticket, Edwards said he’s hopeful people will choose trains instead of cars for the duration of the shutdown, from the evening of Aug. 19 to the morning of Sept. 19.
Moving approximately 160 shuttle buses that aim to arrive at stops as quickly as every 45 seconds will require tweaks to city streets in some cases and drastic interventions in others. The planners are considering repainting lane dividers, removing street parking, or creating bus-only lanes to give shuttles more room to maneuver, especially in areas with ongoing construction.
On busier stretches, like Dartmouth Street between Columbus Avenue and Stuart Street, and parts of Washington Street in Jamaica Plain, they’re considering eliminating car traffic entirely.
While trying to make the right turn onto Boylston Street from Dartmouth Street Thursday, the shuttle bus slowed to a crawl to avoid hitting a parked sedan on the corner. T and city planners winced, raised their eyebrows, and jotted down notes on their printed-out engineering plans, spotting a turn that could definitely be improved.
A turn off Columbus Avenue onto Amory Street drew similar reactions when an overgrown tree covered much of the bus’s windshield. More on the to-do lists.
The all-hands-on-deck preparation has hardly left a city department untouched, said Wu, with police, forestry, transportation, and education departments all involved.
Before the T announced the Orange Line shutdown, Wu advocated for bold action as T riders continue to endure safety incidents and reduced subway service due to a dispatcher shortage. The T has traditionally used night and weekend shutdowns to replace and repair tracks. A “ripping the Band-aid off” approach was needed, she said.
Wu said she will consider the shutdown successful if slow zones on the Orange Line are eliminated, more new trains are on the tracks, and trains are running more frequently
“Everyone I’ve talked to from regular commuters to business leaders to neighborhood leaders all say we want more predictability and if the short-term pain makes that possible, everybody has said let’s just get this done,” she said.
During the shutdown, students and educators will return to schools and voters will make their way to the polls for the state’s primary elections. The bad timing is not lost on the city and the T.
“Having this happen right as everyone is making that adjustment is a lot to take in, but I am so inspired by the amount of work and coordination that is going into all levels of government, all agencies coming together to make the most of it,” said Wu. “Every little detail that we’re seeing here has already been thought through.”
Mike Costa, who manages A Yankee Line, the main shuttle bus vendor for the T during the shutdown, said shuttle buses and their drivers are coming from as far as Texas and Florida. Starting Monday, drivers will go through training and complete the routes at least five times before show time on Aug. 19, he said….
Read More: Herculean effort underway to make Orange Line shutdown bearable, T and city of