Photo courtesy of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority as a reference for the articleOn September 27, 2023, the MBTA announced that rides on the Fairmount Commuter Rail Line will be free when the Red Line’s Ashmont Branch and Mattapan Line are closed from October 14th to 29th. Instead of trains, shuttle buses will be used during this time because the MBTA is doing “critical track work” as announced on August 24.
Quoted on a press release from the state agency, MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng stated that “the upcoming work on the Ashmont Branch and Mattapan Line is critical to addressing and improving safety and reliability along this stretch of the Red Line, and the complete closure of these lines allows us to accomplish vital work in 16 days. While this service change will be challenging for our riders, they have let me know that they appreciate that we are committed to improving their travels.”
On August 24, 2023, the MBTA announced planned closures affecting the Red Line Ashmont Branch between JFK/UMass and Ashmont Stations, as well as the Mattapan Line between Ashmont and Mattapan Stations. These closures are scheduled for a duration of 16 days, starting on Saturday, October 14, and concluding on Sunday, October 29, 2023.
As per the state agency’s data, the Ashmont Branch accommodates an estimated 40,000 daily riders, while the Mattapan Line serves approximately 3,700 riders each day.
