WATCH LIVE: The MBTA's general manager is giving an update on Orange Line construction, now 82% complete.
The Orange Line is scheduled to remain shut down until Sept. 19, and the MBTA says 66% of the work has been completed.
The Orange Line's historic shutdown by the MBTA began Aug. 19, and in its place, shuttles have been traversing through Boston and other suburbs typically serviced by the transit line. Crews have been working around the clock to complete five years' worth of track and signal replacement, along with maintenance and other projects during the 30-day period.
When service resumes, the majority of Orange Line trains on the rails will consist of new cars — double what the MBTA had running before the shutdown. As we install new Orange Line rails, we're thermite welding - a process where molten metal fuses ends into continuous rail for a stronger bond & smoother ride. Before rails can be used at full speed, trains will travel slower during a temporary monitoring phase.