MBTA Blue Line speed restrictions through November, possible plan to expedite repairs
BOSTON - The MBTA is considering a plan to expedite repairs to the Blue Line in an effort to lift more speed restrictions sooner.
During Wednesday's MBTA Board of Directors meeting, General Manager Phillip Eng made his first report which focused largely on the work being done along the Blue Line.
For the first time, the MBTA provided insight into the duration of these speed restrictions. Eng said the Blue Line speed restrictions should be in place until November.
Eng said the Blue Line currently has 21 speed restrictions in place that add about 15 minutes of travel time down the line. Eng said the MBTA is on track to remove seven of those by May as crews perform rail and tie repairs. To speed up that work, Eng said the MBTA is considering a plan to close the Blue Line at 7pm on April 24-27 and May 1-4 to allow for increased overnight work. The MBTA told WBZ-TV that Board of Director approval is not needed to make this change.
Eng said his team is working on a plan for the Orange and Red Line speed restrictions but did not say when those proposals would be announced.
"We are in the beginning stages of a top to bottom review," said Eng. "We did not get here overnight this was many years in the making. "These first eight days have validated the urgency of the need to change how we approach all of the vital work ahead."
