By Grace Destefano

The second that school, practice, or rehearsal gets out, the first question you will hear someone ask is most likely going to be, “Who’s taking the T?” Journeying through the Muddy River with a group of fellow students to hop on at the Longwood “T” stop is a Winsor rite of passage. Whether you are venturing farther into Boston or leaving the city, the Green Line D Branch is an essential mode of transportation for many members of the Winsor community. Due to its popularity, the MBTA Subway shutdowns have unfavorably impacted many students.

According to a recent MBTA press release, the Green Line D Branch will experience three nine-day periods of closures from September 24 to October 30 for infrastructure upgrades. General Manager Steve Poftak said, “These kinds of full-access diversions allow the T to accelerate investments and improvements across the system,” adding that all upgrades will deliver “an increased level of safety and reliability to our riders through track replacement work and the installation of GLTPS infrastructure” (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority).  

Shuttle buses have been available for D Branch riders during these closures as an alternative. However, the shuttle buses are still an inconvenience to Winsor students. During the lastest shutdown, Anya Weerapana ’25 said, “I’d have to walk to the commuter rail station—around a 15 minute walk—carrying three bags and while also having to time it correctly. If I missed my train, I would have to wait another hour for [another] one to come in.” She added,“The convenience of the T is definitely something I took for granted before the shutdown.” Kate Drachman ’25 agreed: “When I take the train to school in the morning, it usually only takes me around 30 minutes. Because of constant delays and traffic, the shuttle buses end up taking closer to an hour.”

As a school located in Boston, the T shutdowns are definitely time-consuming and stressful for Winsor students and adults alike. It goes to show how vital the MBTA is as a mode of transportation. Hopefully, the shutdowns will proceed smoothly and the T will be back next month better than ever!