Red Line’s Braintree branch to close for most of September for major repair work

Service on the Red Line Braintree branch will be suspended from Sept. 6 through Sept. 29, the MBTA announced.

Parts of the MBTA Red Line will be closed for 24 days in September in an effort to improve commute times. (Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe)

By Lindsay Shachnow

July 18, 2024

The MBTA announced plans Thursday to make major improvements on the Red Line’s Braintree branch during a 24-day service suspension.

The Braintree branch will be shut down from Sept. 6 to Sept. 29.

The MBTA plans to make repairs to 18 miles of track, removing more than 20 speed restrictions with the goal of “improving round-trip Braintree branch travel times by as much as 24 minutes,” the agency said in a statement.

“The work to take place on the Braintree branch in September is unprecedented but long needed,” MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng said in the statement. “I look forward to returning faster, safer, more reliable Braintree branch service to our riders on September 30.”

During the service suspension, there will not be any Red Line trains at the North Quincy, Wollaston, Quincy Center, Quincy Adams, and Braintree stations.

The T said it will officially announce alternate shuttle bus plans soon. Alternative service for riders will be a combination of shuttle buses at closed stations, commuter rail options, and increased service on the Ashmont Branch, the agency said.

The track work completed during the 24-days will enable the MBTA trains to run at the maximum permitted speed of 40 miles per hour.

“Following this important work, riders will experience a more reliable trip with fewer unplanned service disruptions related to older tracks, older infrastructure, signal issues, or power problems,” the statement said. “Riders will also be provided with a safer ride as a result of this state of good repair work.”