All major construction work on the Fenway Portal Flood Protection Project is complete as of Nov. 23.
Some finishing work remains, including site restoration and final adjustments to the newly installed flood protection system. This work is minor and is not anticipated to require any service impacts. The Green Line Transformation (GLT) team says it has worked hard over the past few months to recover from the schedule impacts of the pandemic and to deliver this critical infrastructure project to Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) operations in 2020.
Due to the proximity of the Green Line tunnel entrance to the Muddy River, the tunnel has experienced major flooding events in the past. In 1996, significant flooding caused almost $70 million in damage and shut down major portions of the Green Line, resulting in two months of repairs. Temporary measures have been in place since 1996. However, with the new steel doors that were installed, the MBTA will be able to react much more quickly in case of a Muddy River flooding event to prevent damage to the tunnel and avoid lengthy service disruptions for our riders.
The Fenway Portal Flood Protection Project meets the GLT goal of improving safety and resiliency on the Green Line.