Specifically, the Orange Line now officially reaches speeds of up to 55 mph between Oak Grove and Somerville stations, a significant increase from the previous limit of 40 mph, and the first time this speed has been documented on the line.

The MBTA has significantly upgraded its infrastructure through the Track Improvement Program, which involved replacing over 250,000 feet of rail and removing more than 220 speed restrictions across the system between 2023 and 2024, leading to faster and more reliable service.

These upgrades culminated in the removal of all speed restrictions on the Orange Line in 2024, allowing trains to reach a maximum speed of 55 mph for the first time in its history.

The recent speed increase, which began to take effect on a Sunday following the completion of the upgrades, is expected to reduce trip times, with the journey from Oak Grove to Assembly now taking about six minutes—two minutes shorter than last year.

This faster trip time is part of a broader effort to improve transit efficiency, with the upgrades saving riders an estimated 2.4 million minutes daily and providing an economic benefit of around $1 million per day to the region.

Commuters like Kevin and Alvin have expressed relief and optimism, noting that the speed improvements will help them reach their destinations more quickly and reduce frustration caused by previous slow zones.

Prior to these upgrades, the Orange Line suffered from slow speeds due to track defects and deferred maintenance, which negatively impacted overall transit times.

Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt highlighted that these improvements are the result of strategic investments totaling hundreds of millions of dollars, funded by a $535 million package approved in June, which was financed through a surtax on high earners.

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey credited increased investment, hiring more workers, and infrastructure repairs for the milestone, emphasizing that these efforts have led to faster, smoother commutes and more leisure time for riders.

MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng expressed optimism about ongoing improvements, stating, 'We’ve only just begun,' as part of the broader effort to rebuild the transportation network.

The track upgrades, which began in 2023 and were completed in 2024, made the increased speeds possible, with the tracks originally designed for 55 mph but previously limited due to safety concerns.

The recent upgrades included replacing degraded track and ties and removing hundreds of speed restrictions, culminating in the first documented instance of trains reaching 55 mph on the line.

Transit data now shows that trains on the Orange Line are averaging about 30 mph on this segment, reflecting the impact of the speed increases and infrastructure improvements.