A trolley awaits passengers at the Union Square station on the day of the grand opening of the MBTAs Green Line Extension on March 21, 2022 in Somerville, MA.
MBTA officials are considering a plan that would close the Green Line Extension earlier than normal each night for up to two weeks this fall to repair large stretches of rails that are too narrow.
Days after MBTA General Manager Phil Eng revealed that most of the nearly brand-new tracks on the extension need to be widened, he told agency overseers the contractors responsible for the project have proposed tackling the problems in 10 to 14 nights of work starting around Nov. 1.
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Green Line Extension Constructors, the joint venture that built the 4.4-mile expansion, suggested shutting down service on the rails from 9 p.m. each night until 6 a.m. the following morning during that span, Eng said. Regular service would resume each day following the overnight work.
"They would address and re-gauge all of the track that needs to be done along both branches," Eng said.
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Eng said his team is still reviewing the proposal and has not yet committed to it, emphasizing that "it's not months, it's not years to address this."
He did not disclose the anticipated costs of the repair project. Both Eng and Gov. Maura Healey signaled last week they want the contractors to cover the costs, not the T itself.
Eng and his team have already let go of a couple senior members from the old administration and hired a new person in their place.
Last week, less than a year after the final branch of the Green Line Extension opened, it was disclosed that more than half of the tracks need to be re-done.
The day after, shuttle buses replaced service from North Station to Union Square after an electrical problem caused a train to break down near Lechmere Station. A day after that, Saturday, 20 feet of wire fell on a train car temporarily suspending service between Kenmore and Park stations.
And as the MBTA Board of Directors meeting got underway Tuesday morning, a Green Line train became disabled near Boston's Copley Square.
Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, whose city is often affected by Green Line Extension troubles, said the MBTA has been at the center of controversy for years and that the way to fix it is more funding.
"It is disappointing," said Ballantyne. "I believe that the GM — who has met with myself and who has also met with our staff — meeting with the MBTA's staff have, are working on a plan. We'll get it done."
