MBTA wraps up Green Line D Branch track, signal replacements

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has completed its Green Line D Branch track and signal replacement project.

The project, which originally began in June 2018 as part of the Green Line transformation program, included the replacement of 25,000 feet of track on the D Branch between Riverside and Beaconsfield stations, as well as 6.5 miles of signals.

Prior to the project, outdated signals were said to be responsible for 120 signaling incidents that caused significant delays on the D Branch in 2017 and 2018, MBTA officials said in a press release.

The signal and track replacements aim to improve safety and service reliability for riders as MBTA. The project is estimated to save two and a half minutes of travel time in each direction and eliminate more than 2,000 feet of slow zones.

The basic infrastructure of the D Branch was still using technology installed when the line was converted into a light-rail trolley system in the 1950s, which required crews to travel directly on the tracks when they needed to make repairs. The project has since digitized and centralized the signal system to make it easier to repair and maintain. The tracks were also more than 30 years old and sometimes led to service disruptions.

"We will continue to monitor, test, and improve the conditions of the tracks, trains, signals, and more across the system," said MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak, who added that more work will be done as the Green Line’s transformation program continues.