MBTA Accomplished Essential Work Across the Subway and Commuter Rail System in 2025

Building on the success of the historic 2024 Track Improvement Program, the MBTA continued to accomplish essential work across the system in 2025.

The MBTA accomplished essential project work in 2025 across the subway and Commuter Rail system, tackling years of deferred investment, improving the resiliency of the system, and advancing improvements for riders.

"I'm proud of the dedication and hard work by the MBTA workforce and our industry partners that has not only resulted in record work being accomplished to deliver safe, more reliable, and improved service across all modes, but it is the reason people are starting to use the T again. When riders share their feedback, it is invaluable and I want to thank them for their continued support of the essential work being performed to rebuild our transit system," said Interim MassDOT Secretary and MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng. "Make no mistake, none of this would have been possible without the leadership of the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the Legislature that has provided the necessary funding, after years of disinvestment, to allow us to rebuild this proud workforce and our infrastructure. As transportation improves, quality of life improves, and collectively we are building a system that all can be proud of for generations to come."

Under the leadership of Interim MassDOT Secretary and MBTA General Manager Eng, the essential work accomplished in 2025 underscores the MBTA's unprecedented effort to enhance and upgrade its infrastructure systemwide. Delaying this work was not an option - the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Safety Management Inspection (SMI) report clearly indicated that underinvestment in the MBTA impacted the safety of its operations. In order to accomplish the dramatic improvements at the T in safety, reliability, and service over the last several years, accelerating work on these critical projects through short-term service outages has been both necessary and critical, resulting in efficiencies and reduced cost by maximizing the productivity of our crews.

Last year alone, as a result of this critical work, the MBTA restored 50 MPH on the Red Line Braintree Branch, reset northern Orange Line speeds to 55 MPH for the first time ever, and accelerated work on long-delayed Orange Line signal upgrades, which began in 2018 and did not make any significant progress until this past year. These accomplishments and the many more noted below would not have been possible without sustained, ongoing investments in system revitalization.

Reducing Rider Disruption during Construction

The MBTA used creative alternative service ideas this year with the goal of saving riders excessive travel time. By utilizing shuttle trains and single-track operations, riders were kept on trains when possible versus shuttle buses in congested, mixed traffic. When alternative shuttle buses were required, multiple shuttle bus options were provided, including local, express, downtown loops, more efficient shuttle stop locations on parallel subway lines, and more. The use of single tracking alone saved the MBTA over $3 million in 2025 when compared to using shuttle buses as the only service alternative.

Continuing Infrastructure Progress

Building upon the success of 2024's Track Improvement Program, the MBTA has continued to rebuild and revitalize its infrastructure, ensuring that additional sections of track were improved to the same state of good repair standards that support reliable and robust service. By planning renewal and revitalization work at ongoing and continuous intervals, the long-term stability of MBTA infrastructure will be preserved today and for future generations of riders.

This important work is overseen by the MBTA's Operations Project Delivery Group, which focuses on required track and signal improvements across the MBTA system and oversees this revitalization progress. This year, there were two track construction projects totaling $60 million in infrastructure improvements that improved track, power, and signals within the system.

In 2025, this team completed 12 service suspensions, totaling 87 days across all four MBTA subway lines. The completed work across the system as part of these efforts includes:

• More than 4,400 feet of full-depth track reconstruction (nearly a mile of track completely rebuilt from the ground up),
  
• Nearly 40,000 linear feet of rail has been installed (enough rail to stretch more than 100 football fields end to end),
  
• More than 13,500 ties have been installed, and
  
• Nearly 158,000 feet of track has been fully resurfaced (longer than the entire length of the MBTA Green Line).

The MBTA maximized each outage to perform a variety of other work as well, including station beautification to improve the rider experience.

Signal Modernization

The MBTA continued to advance its signal modernization project on the Red and Orange lines. In 2025, MBTA crews completed four new signal locations on the Red Line for a total of 12 of 14 locations completed, and an additional four signal locations on the new Orange Line for a total of 10 of 12 locations completed. Following additional work to commission and upgrade the new, modernized, digital signal system, completion of these upgrades is anticipated to be completed in 2026. When fully upgraded, the transition to the digitized signal system means riders will experience a more reliable trip, reduced wait times, and better operational efficiency.

Advancing the Green Line Train Protection System

Throughout the year during more than six multi-day service suspensions, MBTA crews made successful progress on Green Line Train Protection System (GLTPS) installation along the signalized Green Line branches, from North Station to Medford/Tufts and Union Square, within the core central tunnel areas from all branch portals to North Station, and the D branch from Riverside to Fenway. Work completed in 2025 includes:

• More than 930 GLTPS anchors installed, which house the system's equipment and power supply,
  
• Nearly 68,000 feet of messenger wire installed, and
  
• More than 200,000 feet of cable have been installed within the track area (nearly one an a half Boston Marathons' worth of cable)

The MBTA anticipates installing more than 330 additional anchors along the B, C, and E branches in spring 2026. Following a testing and data collection period over the next several months, the MBTA anticipates Phase 1 of GLTPS will be operational in summer 2026. When complete, GLTPS will add an extra level of safety that provides alerts, controls speeds, and prevents train-on-train collisions.

Green Line Overhead Trough Replacement

During extended service outages in November and December, the MBTA replaced the wooden overhead catenary wire "trough" in the Green Line tunnel, which houses the Green Line's overhead wires and was original to the tunnel's construction in the late 1890s. This 130-year-old infrastructure was replaced with a modern, more durable, fiberglass protection trough.

Approximately 19,500 feet of the original wooden trough was removed during these outages with numerous overhead catenary feeder cables replaced, 30,000 lbs. of structural steel repairs in seven underground station locations, and many tunnel leak and loose concrete repairs also completed.

These improvements would not have been possible without extended, unencumbered access to the underground Green Line tunnels, and the completed work provides a safer, more reliable ride for even more generations of riders.

Critical Yard and Complex Track Improvements

MBTA crews completed many upgrades this year to expand and improve the Red Line's Codman Yard facility located just south of Ashmont, including the addition of six new storage tracks. Codman Yard houses much of the car fleet, making it a critically important part of providing the reliable service that riders deserve. Other important work at Codman Yard included completely replacing the "Ashmont Diamond," which is the complicated crossover track area just south of Ashmont that allows trains to switch tracks and turn around from the southbound to the northbound track.

Upgrading Complicated Track Areas

As previously announced, MBTA crews accomplished work this year on a unique and complex area of the Blue Line - the "Bowdoin loop track" where trains loop around from the Bowdoin-bound track to the Wonderland-bound track at the end of the line. Rehabilitating the Bowdoin loop track, its switches, and ties means a safer work area for track and power personnel, and that the Blue Line operates more reliably with fewer delays or disruptions at the end of the line, resulting in a smoother, more consistent trip for riders.

On the Mattapan Line, 2,000 feet of rail was replaced along with track at the "Mattapan loop," where trolleys turn around at the end of the line. This loop track is a complicated area that includes a crossover along a curve, which is unique to the MBTA system. These improvements build upon the critical track work that was accomplished in October 2023, bringing riders a safer, faster, more reliable trip thanks to new track and infrastructure.

Maximizing Every Service Outage

The MBTA understands how critical unencumbered access to track areas is and maximizes every outage by performing a variety of additional work when service outages take place. Notably:

• During Orange Line service outages this year in support of MassDOT's Maffa Way/Mystic Avenue Bridge Project, MBTA crews took advantage of access to the track to accomplish track surface lining, tamping, and tie replacements between Wellington and Oak Grove, which eliminated the need for an additional service suspension at a later date. Importantly, this added work enabled Orange Line speeds to be raised to 55 MPH on the northern portion of the line.
  
• During the Blue Line service outage last summer, the MBTA's Capital Delivery team successfully replaced the roof and performed painting work at Airport Station. With Airport as the gateway to the MBTA system for many new visitors, this was a critical priority in advance of the 2026 FIFA World Cup games. This work would have otherwise required its own full closure of the station, but by taking advantage of the June service outage, crews both minimized the impact on Blue Line riders and accelerated the completion of this critical project.
  

Critical Commuter Rail Investments

The MBTA successfully accomplished many improvements on the Commuter Rail system in 2025 that enhanced reliability of the network, upgraded stations to provide fully accessible service, and more.

• North Wilmington Station: The new North Wilmington Station opened on the Haverhill Commuter Rail Line in June 2025 featuring a fully accessible platform, including ramps that enable level boarding for all passengers, a protective canopy for passenger shelter, a new entrance and dedicated parking area on Middlesex Avenue, and upgraded passenger communication systems including audible announcements and real-time digital signage. Security enhancements at the new station include modernized surveillance cameras and improved lighting to ensure a safer station environment.
  
• South Coast Rail (SCR): Passenger service on SCR began March 24, 2025. The over $1 billion project brought passenger service to the communities of Taunton, Freetown, New Bedford, Middleboro, and Fall River for the first time in 65 years. This long-anticipated expansion improves regional connectivity, supports economic development in the South Coast region, and provides a reliable public transportation alternative for commuters.
  
• Foxboro Station: This past year, MBTA work crews installed the temporary platform as part of the Foxboro Station Improvements project in order to allow the permanent upgraded platform construction to begin in advance of operating train service to and from next year's FIFA World Cup games. When completed, the new permanent platform will enhance operational flexibility and passenger capacity during large-scale events.
  
• South Elm Bridge: The MBTA substantially completed the complete replacement of the over-100-year-old South Elm Bridge that carries the Haverhill Line over South Elm Street between Bradford and Haverhill stations with a modern structure as part of the $22.5 million project. The new bridge improves structural integrity, reliability, and long-term service performance along the corridor.
  
• North Station Signal System: This year, MBTA crews began work to replace the obsolete North Station signal system with a state-of-the-art, microprocessor-based system. This multi-year project with additional work on weekends already being planned for 2026. When complete, the upgrades at North Station are expected to significantly reduce maintenance requirements, improve system reliability, and decrease the likelihood of signal failures, resulting in safer and more efficient operations for passengers.