How Late Were You Monday? Here’s What Orange, Green Line Commuters Said

Officials have been warning people who work in Boston to expect longer commutes starting Monday, with the 30-day Orange Line shutdown and nearly as long partial Green Line shutdown in place.

So how bad was it? No major issues were reported, but we talked to riders downtown, and their responses were mixed. Some said their commutes had doubled, but others seemed to be on track to get where they were going right on time, which was Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's experience.

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And on Tuesday, it could be worse — Massachusetts Department of Transportation Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver said it was "hard to judge" how the shutdown has gone given that many people have been working from home on Mondays since the start of the pandemic.

MassDOT Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver joined NBC10 Boston Monday morning to talk the impact of the Orange and Green line closures during the first few days of this workweek. Gulliver said it will be very important for drivers to respect bus routes and turning lanes -- which need to be open for shuttle buses and emergency vehicles. Gulliver said they're hoping people do what they can to move their discretionary trips, and anyone on the road pays extra attention. Patience is going to be critical over the next few weeks, he said, while adding that they are well prepared and they will keep a close eye on traffic hot spots like Sullivan Square. He said the biggest concern is that people don't divert, causing so much traffic that there's an unmanageable gridlock.

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On Workday No. 1 of the major shutdown, here's what some MBTA riders in Boston had to say as they got to know what the next several weeks have in store:

Hannah Bagley: Headed from Ayer to Tufts Medical Center via Commuter Rail, Orange Line shuttle bus and the Green Line

On Monday's "first day trial run," her commute seemed like it would end up being about 45 minutes longer than usual, she said before getting on the Green Line, already 20-25 minutes late.

Mary Belizaile: Headed from Malden to Ashmont via shuttle bus, Green Line and Red Line

Belizaile was having a good experience mid-commute Monday. "It's not longer!" she said of her 90-minute commute.

Ricky McGuire: Headed from Methuen to North Station via shuttle — he usually parks at Sullivan Square

His commute was taking about an extra 20 minutes Monday.

Katie Pimentel: Headed into Boston from Wakefield

"It sucks," she said of her doubled commute, up to two hours from one hour.

Siwen Huang: Headed to Downtown Crossing via Commuter Rail, Orange Line shuttle and Green Line

What is normally a 20-minute commute on the Orange Line, "right now [is] taking me about 58 minutes," Huang said, and that's before he got to his job.

Heather Manning: Headed to Back Bay from Haverhill

Her usual commute, via the Orange Line, went from 45 minutes to at least 90. "It is what is, and we knew that this was going to happen," Manning said, adding that she was skeptical the work would be completed on time.

Nick Kay: Headed from Medford to Suffolk Law School

He hadn't noticed much of a change on his commute, via the Commuter Rail: "When it's nice, I walk anyway, so today it's not inconvenient." Kay added he wondered what would happen if it got cold out.

Want to share your experience with us? Email tips@nbcboston.com.

The real test for the Orange Line shutdown and Green Line closure could be Tuesday, according to a MassDOT official, or it could be when school is back in session, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said.