Green Line
Melissa Sullivan spotted a deer running down Commonwealth Avenue in Allston this morning: Read more.
J the roving UHub photographer happened to be in Kenmore Square just after the Red Sox called today's game due to rain.
Remember when it was about to get cancelled because it was going to cost too much? CommonWealth Magazine reports the project is now forecast to come in under budget, only in part thanks to $103 million in federal recovery aid for mass-transit projects and possibly enough so to let Cambridge and Somerville recover the $45 million they ponied up to keep the project going.
Here's a detailed drone-based video of the work towards extending the Green Line past Lechmere. If you want to skip stuff about the history of the Green Line and work on the existing sections, skip to 4:50 (and yes, the narrator is not from around here, as you can tell by his pronunciation of "Tremont" and "Zakim" but it's still a cool video).
CommonWealth talks to MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak, who says the T will likely hire 80 to 120 new employees to roam bus lines and above-ground trolleys to make sure they're paying their fares. The new system could speed up buses and trolleys by allowing people to board through both front and rear doors, but will mean a level of trust that people are boarding in the back with actual CharlieCards. The new workers will make random spot checks to make sure people are doing that.
Chris in 02134 spotted some overhead-wire action on the Green Line on Beacon Street shortly before 11 a.m., about 45 minutes after the T reported "power problems" on the Beacon Street line were forcing it into bustitution between Coolidge Corner and Cleveland Circle.
The MBTA holds a hearing next week on a proposal to reduce the fine for piggybacking and other forms of fare evasion from $100 to $50 for a first offense. Read more.
The MBTA is now running buses between Blandford and Washington streets on the B Line because of what the T calls "an overhead wire problem" that requires some repairs before the trolleys can run again.
The MBTA reports 20-minute delays on the Green Line due to "a train with a mechanical problem approaching Copley eastbound."
This comes a few hours after the Green Line was completely stopped after a trolley lost its pantograph at Park Street.
Robert Grover posted this photo of a mortally wounded trolley at Park Street at 4:26 p.m., adds: Read more.
The Green Line isn't running between Copley and Government Center because the T has to inspect the tunnel under Tremont Street to make sure some work by a utility crew above the tunnel didn't do any damage to what is, of course, the country's oldest subway tunnel.
Elected officials gathered at the Green Line terminus at Heath Street today to demand the MBTA rescind its plan announced this week to end the E Line at Brigham Circle. Read more.
Greg spotted one of them at least partially open, in front of the CVS in Copley Square. The T said it would send somebody over to close it.
The T is reporting both a dead outbound trolley at BU East and a wire problem near BC.
The T is currently busing Green Line passengers between Kenmore and Park due to what it calls "a power problem."
Earlier in the morning, Orange Line riders got to experience delays due to a dead train, which lead to un-social distancing on the remaining trains.
Isaias may only be giving the Boston area a glancing blow, but it's enough to snap trees like matchsticks on the Mattapan Line between Milton and Butler and on the Riverside Line near Longwood and Newton Highlands. Buses have replaced the Mattapan trolley and D Line trolleys from Kenmore all the way to Riverside. Read more.