Transit Briefs: MBTA, OCTA

Crews worked to perform critical track and tie replacement work during this Orange Line diversion. Complimentary photo by the MBTA Customer and Employee Experience Department.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) completes critical track work on the Orange Line. Also, the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) seeks public input on its 2024 OC Transit Vision Master Plan.

MBTA

The MBTA on July 1 announced that it has completed critical track work on the Orange Line while service was suspended between North Station and Oak Grove during the weekend of June 22-23 and between North Station and Wellington June 24-30.

As a result of “unencumbered access” to track areas, crews accomplished important work to lift six safety-related speed restrictions, which is two more than planned, according to the agency. The work accomplished, MBTA says, will result in a “safer, more reliable trip for riders with fewer unplanned service disruptions.”

“We continue to accomplish long deferred maintenance, repairs, and full-depth track replacement across our system, fulfilling our commitment to our riders and the communities we serve, delivering reliable, safe, and quicker trips,” said MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng. “With each diversion, we maximize every opportunity to tackle this work, including station improvements, through better planning, scoping, and coordination. I’m proud of our workforce and our contractors working side by side as we deliver these important upgrades and thank our riders for their continued patience while we work to deliver them a safer, smoother, and more reliable trip.”

This service change was in place to support critical work as part of Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s (MassDOT) Maffa Way/Mystic Avenue Bridge Superstructure Replacements project, which will replace the two deteriorated bridge superstructures and improve bicycle, pedestrian, and transit facilities. With service already suspended in these areas to support the MassDOT work, the MBTA took full advantage of the outage to perform Track Improvement Program work, including track and tie upgrades that have allowed the removal of speed restrictions between Community College and Sullivan Square. Crews also maximized the outage by performing signal work and station amenity upgrades, including new lighting, painting, tiling, power washing, and more.

With “unencumbered access” to Orange Line stations, crews accomplished the following work:

• Replaced more than 5,700 feet of running rail.
• Replaced nearly 3,200 ties.
• Resurfaced and tamped 10,500 feet of track.
• Performed 657 feet of full depth track construction.
• Performed critical signal and switch modernization work between Oak Grove and Assembly.
• Accomplished stair repairs at Sullivan Square and Community College.
• Continued work to upgrade the station entrance at Community College.
• Security upgrades were accomplished at Assembly.
• Drainage repairs were performed at Sullivan Square.
• Cable repairs and inspections were performed throughout the shutdown area.
• Performed inspections, maintenance, and repairs, including upgrading station lighting where needed.

As a result of this critical work, the following safety-related speed restrictions are no longer in place:

Given the amount work to be performed, the MBTA says it plans to accomplish additional Orange Line work as part of the Track Improvement Program later this year, which is required to eliminate speed restrictions north of Wellington.

A variety of other in-station work also took place along the Orange Line to further enhance the rider experience, including:

• At Wellington, five damaged fencing poles were replaced along the right of way, painting improvements were performed, and HVAC work took place.
• At Assembly, a station gate was repaired.
• At Sullivan Square, platform repairs and cleaning work was performed.
• At Community College, cleaning, debris removal, and HVAC work took place.
• System maps were replaced at North Station.
• Signage was cleaned and/or replaced throughout the shutdown area.

OCTA

OCTA announced July 1 that it is seeking public input as the agency continues to develop the OC Transit Vision, a study that it says “aims to improve opportunities for the way people move throughout the county.”

With the 2024 OC Transit Vision Master Plan, OCTA says it is building upon a previous plan developed in 2018 and other recent studies to build a framework that will “guide investments in future transit options, potentially including more bus service, streetcars, and microtransit such as community shuttles.”

The OC Transit Vision, which aims to enhance and expand current public transit options during the next 30 years, will review the county’s existing transit corridors, analyze which travel modes are most preferred and how infrastructure could be designed to better support efficient public transit. The plan will also address current and emerging transit technologies, respond to evolving ridership trends, and outline potential funding sources.

The updated OC Transit Vision, OCTA says, “will provide a consistent, countywide transit approach that will be shared with cities and other partner agencies to enhance coordination of future transit-related recommendations and projects throughout Orange County and the region.”

The final study, which will be completed with the help of recommendations from the public, is expected to be presented to the OCTA Board by the end of the year.

More information is available here.