Closures, bypasses in force on the green and orange lines

The partial closure of the Green Line began Monday with a 25 day closure from the Union Square branch between Cambridge and Somerville.

The MBTA previously said the closure would allow the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to make critical repairs to the Squires Bridge, which crosses the railroad tracks near Union Square.

The Green Line extension branch, which opened in March 2022, will remain closed until October 12. Work on the bridge was initially supposed to begin in July and last 42 days, although the Healey administration later postponed the project and changed the schedule after blowback from local officials.

For the most part, T riders will have to find an alternate route while the Union Square branch is down — the MBTA won’t offer daily shuttles in place of trains.

The agency instead encouraged riders to rely on nearby bus lines. According to the T, bus routes 86, 91 and CT2 run between Union Square and East Somerville Station on the Medford Branch of the Green Line, while bus 87 goes from Union Square to Lechmere.

MassDOT will, however, operate three shuttles between East Somerville and Union Square for the Fluff Festival on September 23.

The work on the Union Square branch coincides with another closure of the Green Line between North Station and Government Center. The portion of track will be closed until October 12 due to the ongoing demolition of the Government Center garage, which will also impact the Orange Line at Haymarket station.

With Green Line service suspended between three stops and the Orange Line bypassing Haymarket in both directions, the MBTA is asking riders to walk instead.

According to the T, Orange Line riders must exit at North Station or State and walk toward the Haymarket area. Green Line riders should expect about a 13-minute walk from Government Center to North Station, but they can also switch to the Orange Line via the Winter Street Concourse between Park Street and Downtown Crossing.

And for those who can’t make the trip on foot, the MBTA offers accessible vans upon request. Passengers can ask MBTA staff for help at the station, according to the T.