UPDATED, Aug. 11: Days after celebrating the reopening of the Red Line after a planned 10-day shutdown for track maintenance and station repairs, the MBTA issued an apology for near-hourly delays that hit the system for the last week.
On Monday, Aug. 10, the Red Line was shut down from Alewife station to Harvard station at about 4:40 p.m., just as the evening rush hour commute began. Shuttle buses were used to ferry passengers to those stations.
“The MBTA apologizes to riders affected by recent signal issues on the Red Line following the recent shutdown,” the T said in a statement on Aug. 9. “A massive amount of heavy track work was accomplished on the northern side of the Red Line last month, and while the causes of the signal issues are still under investigation, it’s understood that as trains move over these upgraded areas (including areas where signals, switches, and interlockings exist), minor adjustments may need to be made after service resumes.”
The MBTA shut down the Red Line from Park Street station in downtown Boston to the Alewife station in Cambridge on the Arlington border, from July 21 through July 30 to work on what it called “critical and necessary track work, the repair of many floating slabs, work along complicated track areas, upgrading Red Line signals, and much more.”
From the beginning, commuters were skeptical. “I can’t afford to Uber everywhere, and I can’t afford the time to make sure that the Red Line is even operating,” said Sarah Robinson, who commutes from East Arlington.
The northwest section of the Red Line opened as scheduled on July 31, but problems prompted delays almost immediately and there have been issues on the reopened stretch since service resumed. On July 31, smoke was reported on the tracks at the Charles/MGH station and a short time later a signal problem at Harvard station caused 25-minute delays in the afternoon commute.
On Aug. 5, shuttle buses temporarily replaced trains from Harvard station to Park Street following a signal problem at Harvard. The issue delayed riders for about 25 minutes, and the T encouraged people to use the bus lines instead of train service.
On Aug. 3, there were 20-minute delays because of signal issues between Harvard and Kendall/MIT, and a disabled train at Kendall/MIT on Aug. 4 caused delays of about 15 minutes.
At the reopening Interim Secretary of Transportation and MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng said the work was needed and done to enhance service.
“We made a commitment to the public to ensure that we perform essential preventative and corrective repairs to address conditions in a timely manner, ensuring we do not go back to the days of speed restrictions impacting every trip for decades. The work completed during this Red Line diversion was incredibly important to building upon investments and progress we have made to date on the Red Line over the last three years. This is a reflection of the new way the MBTA does business – no longer kicking the can down the road, but strongly committed to revitalizing our infrastructure to provide the best service possible for riders,” Eng said in a release.
“We know every diversion impacts our riders, and the last 10 days demonstrate even more how we need to ensure the long-term safety and reliability of the Red Line. I want to personally thank everyone for their patience, allowing us to perform vital work that has long been deferred,” said Eng. “With the continued support from the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the legislature, we are reinvesting in the system and delivering meaningful results, including during this historic summer. This is just a taste of how the MBTA can be a best-in-class transit system that the entire Commonwealth and be proud of.”
For the weekend of Aug. 8 and 9, the T shut down the section of the Green Line that Arlington riders use to get into Boston.
This news story, published on Aug. 9, 2026, will be updated.
