Photo: James Rojas (WBZ)
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — With 10 days remaining in the MBTA's shutdown of the Orange Line for extensive repair work, MBTA officials are optimistic that the trains will resume on time.
"We are making good progress," MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak told reporters at Wellington Station Friday.
Poftak announced that the MBTA was 66% done with the repair project which began on Aug. 19 and shut down service on the Orange Line from the Oak Grove to Forest Hills stations. He noted crews had eliminated two of the six targeted slow zones, replaced 7,000 of the planned 14,000 feet of rail, and completed 72% of total track replacement.
"I think, by and large, most of the projects have gone very well," Poftak said.
The agency GM spoke to the press while standing in front of shiny, ready-to-go Orange Line train cars. He announced that 60 brand new Orange Line cars will be available once service resumes on Sept. 19.
"60 cars puts us in a position where we can have 10 trainsets at certain times of the day," said Poftak. "10 trainsets of new cars available to us, you’re gonna be more likely to get a new Orange Line car than anything else, and this is a great upgrade for our customers."
WBZ's James Rojas (@JamesRojasNews) reports.
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