MBTA announces new repair shutdowns, including the Red Line during one of Boston's largest conventions

The MBTA yesterday announced its latest round of weekend shutdowns aimed at upgrading various things it didn't upgrade during last year's month-long Orange Line shutdown and to account for the continuing demolition of the Government Center Garage, which will also affect the Green Line.

The Red Line will mostly be replaced by buses between Harvard and JFK/UMass on the weekends of March 4-5 and March 25-26 to allow for the replacement of antiquated analog signal systems with new digital ones. As noted by Ethan Miguel, the second weekend is also when PAX East is expected to bring tens of thousands of gamers to the South Boston convention center, the closest subway stop to which is South Station on the Red Line.

During the weekend closures between Harvard and JFK/UMass, free shuttle buses will make stops at all stations except Park Street and Downtown Crossing Stations. Riders that would normally ride the Red Line to or from Park Street or Downtown Crossing are advised to use Red Line shuttle buses that will stop at Haymarket Station and State Station where there are connections to the Orange, Blue, and Green Lines. South-bound shuttle buses toward Ashmont/Braintree will also stop at Summer and Otis Streets and north-bound shuttle buses toward Alewife will stop at Federal and Franklin Streets, which is in close proximity to Downtown Crossing for connections to the Red Line. Signage will be in place to direct riders to shuttle bus stops and extra MBTA personnel and Transit Ambassadors will be on-hand to assist riders.

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Evening weekday Red Line trains will be replaced with accessible shuttle bus service between Braintree and North Quincy Stations beginning at approximately 9 PM on March 20-23. This service change will allow MBTA crews to perform critical tamping work along the track in these areas.

Although the T is assuming PAX-goers won't mean any extra demand it can't handle with buses, it adds it will be going out of its way to ensure there are no scheduled service changes on the weekend of March 18-19 for St. Patrick's Day festivities.

The Orange Line will be shut between Ruggles and North Station on March 11 and 12, mainly so crews can continue to tear down the Government Center Garage without worrying about it collapsing on riders, but also so T workers can continue work they couldn't get to last year, in particular replacing rail fasteners between Back Bay and Ruggles.

0range Line riders are asked to use Green Line service between Copley and Government Center Stations. Free and accessible shuttle buses will also operate between Copley on the Green Line and Ruggles on the Orange Line, making stops at Back Bay and Massachusetts Avenue Stations.

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Evening weekday Orange Line trains will be replaced with accessible shuttle bus service between Wellington and North Stations beginning at approximately 9 PM on March 27-30. This service change will allow MBTA crews to perform critical tamping work along the track in these areas.

The garage deconstruction also means a shutdown that same weekend of the Green Line between North Station and Government Center, with trolleys replaced by buses between those stops.