The MBTA Orange Line reopened Monday, Sept. 19 after a 30-day closure for much-needed improvements on the line such as the replacement of tracks, elimination of slow zones and general upgrades in cleanliness.
The Forest Hills station improved accessibility with new entrances, and Oak Grove improved accessibility with new doors, stairs, flooring, elevators and windows. Mechanical installations include 400 new rail fasteners to suppress vibrations as well as 72 new Orange Line cars.
Antonio Bravo, a Northeastern University student, said he didn’t notice much of a change.
“It doesn’t seem like they changed that much, but it’s open, which is convenient,” he said.
Bravo said he uses the Orange Line to get from Ruggles to Downtown Crossing. During the line’s closure, Bravo said he was “absolutely out of luck” when it came to convenience, due to the 15 minute walk to the Green Line.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate Nailah Smith said she finds the MBTA “really convenient,” even though the trains lacked improvements and cleanliness. However, since the Orange Line reopened, she said she noticed how much the Orange Line had improved.
“I’ve noticed since this [renovation], that the Orange Line trains are really nice now,” Smith said. “Taking the buses took more time than the train itself did so I’m glad that it’s back up now.”
As of now, the MBTA is attempting to mitigate further issues and prioritize reliable service and safety for riders.
According to a City of Boston press release on Tuesday, some of the infrastructure changes from the Orange Line’s closure will remain in place, including a bus and bike priority lane on Huntington Avenue and the creation of a one-way for vehicles from the previously closed-off stretch of Boylston Street.
“Over the last 30 days, our City teams have been focused on measuring what’s working so we could ensure continual improvement during a stressful time of the Orange Line shutdown,” Wu wrote in the City Hall’s press release.
The MBTA noted the immense work accomplished in the Orange Line’s relatively short period of closure.
“Our work during the Orange Line shutdown was rooted in our devotion to riders and their safety,” Angel Peña, MBTA Chief of Capital Transformation, said in an MBTA press release. “This devotion will continue to drive our focus on quality, accessibility, modernization and service for years to come.”
