The first two days of the Orange Line shutdown are in the books, but the first such day for commuters looms Monday.
Commuters taking any means of transportation around Boston on Monday are bracing for increased traffic and slower travel times as both the Orange Line and Green Line Extensions will be closed.
Crews have been working as early as last Friday to repair parts of the transit system. The MBTA says the work will improve travel times between stations and service reliability for more than 100,000 of its daily users.
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"It's much better because [now] they can work during the day," one commuter said. "Before, they could only work on it at night."
The northern part of the Green Line will be shut down beginning Monday, from Union Square to Government Center.
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Crews are expected to continue working during commuting hours on Monday morning.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu rode the MBTA Commuter Rail Saturday afternoon, encouraging T passengers to take advantage of alternative ways to travel that are being offered during the month-long Orange Line shutdown.
The mayor rode the Commuter Rail after speaking with news outlets at Roslindale Village Station, during the first full day of the Orange Line's temporary closure.
"The Commuter Rail will be one of the best ways to get around while the Orange Line trains aren't running," Mayor Wu said to media organizations Saturday afternoon. "I want to make sure everyone across the city knows that it is free for anyone to get on, at a stop within the City of Boston."
All riders need to do for the free service during the shutdown is show a CharlieCard or CharlieTicket to the conductor on the Commuter Rail train. It doesn't even need to be loaded with money. This includes Zones 1A, 1, and 2 on all Commuter Rail lines. The city distributes CharlieCards at Boston Public Libraries through its CharlieCard Access Initiative.
"It is fast, it comes on a regular schedule," Mayor Wu said. "They've increased the frequency being made at each of the stops."
The mayor said historically, she hasn't frequented the Commuter Rail, saying it's "usually so expensive to ride." She called it "probably the best alternative" to getting around quickly during the Orange Line's closure.
The Commuter Rail isn't the only alternative to Orange Line service that's being offered. Shuttles are also in use along the line during the shutdown, and there's free passes available to use the city's bike sharing service, Bluebikes.
Shuttles made their way up and down the Orange Line route Sunday, bussing passengers while the subway line is shut down for the next month.
“Don’t have a car,” said Emma Pines-Schwartz. “It was a bit inconvenient to hear it was shutting down but with the shuttles it’s been pretty easy to get around.”
Transportation officials say shuttle usage so far this weekend has been light to moderate.
“It honestly wasn’t bad,” said Madusa Sidabay. “We took it from Ruggles to Back Bay and the bus was maybe six, seven minutes, it was pretty empty, it wasn’t a struggle or anything so that gives me hope.”
But Sidabay wonders what’s going to happen when the workweek begins.
“I don’t know if it’s going to be as sustainable as it is today because it’s such a chill commute day it’s a Sunday,” said Sidabay.
