Damaged wire on Green Line delays trains, commuters
Marissa Choy was an hour late to work after the Green Line broke down yesterday as she joined other commuters forced to scramble for more than two hours.
“It’s frustrating to live in a such a metropolitan city that heavily relies on public transportation that continuously fails,” the 23-year-old told the Herald.
An overhead wire on the Green Line was damaged between Arlington and Copley stations on the westbound side, according to MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo.
The cause of the breakdown remains to be seen, but it put crowds of people, like Choy, on the streets after being told to exit two trains between Boylston and Arlington stations.
Green Line service was suspended between Government Center and Kenmore — in both directions — while MBTA crews made repairs. Buses were offered as a substitute for trolley service. However, Choy said they told commuters that they “strongly advised us to take alternative transportation options.”
“Once we got off at Kenmore there was a massive flood of people coming out of the station,” she said. “The whole block was filled with people trying to get to work.”
It was unclear when the shuttles would arrive, Choy said, and people began to get angry.
“When one finally showed up people were knocking each other over trying to get on board,” she said. “Transit police were trying to manage the crowds, but there were just so many people.”
Some people took an Uber, she added, but it was $30plus at that time and traffic was still “insane.”
Customers were also being asked to consider the Orange Line between Back Bay and Haymarket stations.
Choy, who works in marketing at a PR firm on New Chardon Street, said most of ‘FRUSTRATING’: A damaged overhead wire between Arlington and Copley stations on the Green Line sent riders onto shuttle buses and other modes of transportation. the time the T is her best option for commuting.
“Eventually, I was lucky enough to get on a shuttle,” she said.
Normal service resumed at about 11 a.m.