Boston Rail Network Sees Significant Increases in Speed After Eliminating ‘Slow Zones’

A year-long project that upgraded rail infrastructure and equipment has resulted in faster trips on all rail lines.

1 minute read

January 5, 2025, 7:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Boston Red Line train with skyline in background.

Veronique / Adobe Stock

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) undertaking to eliminate “slow zones,” known as the Track Improvement Program, has led to an impressive increase in the speed of trips on the Red Line, reports Will Katcher for Mass Transit.

“On the line’s Ashmont branch, the average southbound ride lasts about 40 minutes end-to-end. Rewind to October 2023, and the same trip took nearly half an hour longer.” On the Braintree branch, riders traveling end to end save about 24 minutes a day. 

Every line in the system is now traveling faster than in October 2023. “State officials said the repairs collectively save riders 2.4 million minutes every weekday. They estimated the economic benefit to Massachusetts to be nearly $1 million each day.”

In 2025, the agency will be working on replacing aging signal systems and making stations more accessible.

Thursday, January 2, 2025 in Mass Transit

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