MBTA outlines track expansion, aims to cut replacement timeline to 6.5 years

Phil Eng, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Secretary and MBTA General Manager, described technical details of the North Station drawbridge replacement and the MBTA's broader rail strategy.

Eng said the existing two movable bridges carry four tracks across the river and the project will expand that to six, while North Station's track count will grow from 10 to 12. On schedule, he said the design‑build approach and coordination with operations aim to shorten construction from the originally estimated eight years to roughly 6.5 years.

"These projects get delivered when the teams work together," Eng said, noting the MBTA will keep trains running with its operating partner, Keolis, during construction and that the program pairs bridge work with other investments such as new locomotives and station rebuilds to enable a future regional‑rail network.