MBTA, MassDOT prepared for snowy Monday commute

WESTON, Mass. — The heaviest of this spring snow storm is expected to fall overnight and into the Monday morning commute, possibly making it a mess for drivers and train riders.

The plows are in place and the salt piled up high, MassDOT says it's ready for a snow storm beginning on the first day of spring.

The MBTA, too, is working on its plan for a smooth morning commute – and another chance to make up for last year.

Last year's record-breaking storms crippled the T and shut down service.

This winter, Mother Nature has gone easier on Massachusetts, but the T still hasn't been perfect.

The extreme cold has frozen switches and broken rails. T General Manager Frank DePaola admits public confidence is low.

“I think that one weekend we had 11 separate incidences where the rail actually snapped due to the cold temperatures. So we've been able to stay on top of those and make sure that they have little impact to service,” he said.

Preparing for the worst, the T is calling in about 300 workers at midnight, running trains throughout the night and deicing outdoor sections of track.

They'll staff the emergency operations center at 4a.m.

“We've learned from last year that we need to be disciplined and continue to do that to make sure that storm conditions don't get ahead of us,” DePaola said.

The MBTA has also planned the reopening of the Government Center station by noon after two years of construction.

Depaola expects that to remain on schedule as well as the rest of the day's service.

“I feel like they've made a lot of improvements and everything, so it shouldn't be a problem” he said.

Cox Media Group