MA: MBTA plans 10-day shutdown of half of Red Line as soon as World Cup ends

The cheers of World Cup fans and blare of bagpipes will still be ringing in Bostonians’ ears when the MBTA’s next major stretch of maintenance work begins in mid-July.

The T plans to close a substantial portion of the Red Line — everything to the north of Park Street Station — for 10 days closely following the tournament’s conclusion.

From July 21 to 30, shuttle buses will replace train service between Alewife and Park Street, the MBTA announced Wednesday.

The closure will allow for “essential infrastructure upgrades, track renewal, and other critical revitalization work on the Red Line,” the MBTA said in a statement. The work will include upgrading train signals, the vital system that controls how trains move along the tracks.

It will also include the replacement of “floating slabs” — hefty blocks of concrete sitting on rubber disks, which absorb sound and vibrations from trains. Replacing the slabs can be time-consuming, since work crews must wait for newly-poured cement to cure, the T explained in a 2024 video.

“This regular, planned renewal and revitalization work is ongoing and continuous, ensuring the long-term stability of our infrastructure and preserving the system for future generations of riders,” the agency said Wednesday.

The last World Cup match in Foxborough, in the quarterfinal round, is scheduled for July 9.

Boston will then welcome tall ships and their crews from around the world from July 11–16. An estimated 4 million people could attend the event, organizers said Wednesday.

The World Cup Final will be played on July 19 in New Jersey.

During the shutdown, free and accessible shuttle buses will stop at each shuttered station. Riders can also use bus routes 69, 87, 88, 89, 91 and 109 from Davis Square, Harvard Square and Central Square to connect with the Green Line for alternative travel to Park Street.

The T will also run an express shuttle bus between Harvard Square and South Station.

The commuter rail’s Fitchburg Line will be fare-free between Porter Square and North Station.

Commuting by shuttle bus is expected to be considerably longer than a typical Red Line ride, particularly at rush hour. A rider traveling to Park Street from Alewife should prepare for at least 70 minutes on the road, the T warned.

On weekdays, riders can ask MBTA station staff to request accessible van service for travel along the closed section of the Red Line.

Full details on the closure can be found on the MBTA’s website.

The agency also announced changes to Green Line service on the C Branch to accommodate facilities upgrades to make stations more accessible.

Outbound Green Line trains will not stop at Englewood Avenue or Tappan Street through July 10. Inbound trains will not stop at Summit Avenue from July 13–31.

Trains will continue to bypass Symphony Station, which is closed for the next three years.

The commuter rail’s Needham Line will also not operate from 11 p.m. on Friday, July 24, through the rest of that weekend to allow for a replacement of the bridge carrying West Roxbury Parkway over the tracks.

Passengers can use the 35, 36 and 37 buses between West Roxbury and Forest Hills to connect to Orange Line trains.

Passengers can take the 59 bus between Needham Junction and Newton Highlands for connections to the Green Line’s D Branch. The 59 will run later into the evening in place of commuter rail trains.

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