Photo: Kyle Bray/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — For the first time in 15 years, the Orange Line is free of all speed restrictions.
This comes more than two years after the MBTA shut down the Orange Line for track work.
Local leaders including Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey were at Haymarket Station on Friday to celebrate this milestone. The Governor said that cutting down on people’s commute time is very important.
“This is a big deal because we’re giving people time back in their lives, because we know that for far too long, people would have to wait on the T because of these slow zones,” said Healey.
MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng added that riders can expect faster and more frequent service on the Orange Line.
“Come December when we put in a new winter schedule, we’ll be running 360 trains a day, that is nearly double the amount of trains that we were running just last year,” said Eng.
See Also: Orange Line Shutting Down 30 Days, MBTA Cites Long Overdue Maintenance
In a press release, the MBTA said that this accomplishment was the result of critical track work while service was suspended between October 26-November 1, where crews lifted nine speed restrictions and replaced 17,500 feet of rail.
Eng also thanked MBTA employees for their hard work and riders for their patience.
“In these diversions, the ability to work 24/7, and the ability to go around the clock, we were able to do work more efficiently, more effectively, and we really did deliver about 40 years of work in this year plus of time,” Eng added.
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