Governor Maura Healey, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll and MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng recently joined MBTA workers and riders at North Station to celebrate the completion of the T’s Track Improvement Program.
The Track Improvement Program has seen the removal of more than 220 of the line’s speed restrictions for the first time in twenty years, with more than 250,000 feet of rail also having been replaced across the system.
With completion of work on the Green Line finishing on December 20 2024, the MBTA has also seen the replacement of over 15,400 feet of full depth track reconstruction, 38,000 tiles and the performance of roughly 325,000 feet of tamping.
“This is an awesome milestone. We knew when we first took office that it was essential that we improve safety and reliability on the T. So, we got General Manager Eng and his team into place, and they developed and executed on their strategy with our strong support. And as a result, riders are getting more time back in their days and our entire economy is seeing the benefits.
“I want to extend my deep gratitude to the T workers who made all of this work possible, as well as to the T riders who endured years of unreliable service and shutdowns. We thank you for your patience during this time and for your continued commitment to public transportation in Massachusetts. We know there is still work to be done. We’re going to continue to invest in the T, and Phil and the team are going to continue working every day to deliver the world-class service that Massachusetts deserves.”
Work was achieved through 23 full-access closures across various rail lines throughout 2024, allowing for safe and continued construction.
Roundtrip travel time has seen a significant reduction as a result of the work, with 20 minutes saved on the Orange Line, up to an hour on the Red Line, 4 minutes on the Blue Line and roughly 9 minutes on the Green Line.
“This has been a true team effort, and I want to thank everyone—from planning and construction to those maintaining our system and communicating with the public. All MBTA employees played a vital role in moving us one step closer to a state of good repair.
“Thank you to our workforce for their diligence, and to our riders for their patience throughout the process. I also want to acknowledge Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll for their leadership and support of our workforce. Our goal is to continue the positive momentum by focusing on accessibility and signal upgrades in 2025, as well as staying on top of preventative maintenance to ensure the T delivers safe, reliable and frequent service to best serve the public today as we build for future generations.”
