Boston Cyclists Union

Resources during the Orange Line Shutdown

By Bike Union Staff | August 17, 2022

As you navigate the 30-day Orange Line shutdown starting August 19, we aim to make it as easy as possible for you to ride a bike during this time. 

If you are looking for the schedule of daily bike convoys, click here. These convoys will be led by experience bike riders and designed for first-time bike commuters to get comfortable with city biking.

If you plan on biking to work alone from Oak Grove, here are two recommended routes from the MBTA based on the latest updates:

Inbound Route

Outbound Route

New to biking? Visit this page on our website for some tips on riding safely in the Boston area. 

Looking for a bike? You have options!

  • Bluebikes is offering free 30-day passes with unlimited 45-minute rides. Passes are available to anyone in the entire Bluebikes system during the shutdown, and will be available starting August 19 on the Bluebikes website or app. Bluebikes will aim to restock stations along the orange line route to keep up with demand. 
  • The Boston Cyclists Union has free bike repair to get your bike in working order. Labor is free and new parts are very discounted.
    • Saturday, August 20 from 10 AM -1 PM, Mattapan Farmers Market (corner of Cummins Highway and Fairway St.)
    • Sunday, August 21 from 10 AM – 12 PM, Forest Hills Station
    • Thursday, August 25 from 2:30 – 6:30 PM, Dudley Town Common (corner of Dudley St. and Blue Hill Ave.)
    • Every Friday until the end of September from 3-6 PM, Roxbury Crossing 
    • Every Wednesday until the end of September from 3 – 6:30 PM, East Boston Farmers Market (Central Square Park) 
  • We also sell $5 helmets at our free bike repair pop ups and our office at 1419 Tremont St in Mission Hill. We have free bike lights as well!

We will be leading bike rides so you have experienced bike commuters to ride with during the shutdown. Find the full schedule here. We will also have a slower roll group ride on Sunday, August 21 leaving at 11 AM from Forest Hills. Sign up here! 

If you need additional support to feel comfortable riding and/or get access to a working bike during the shutdown, email us at info@bostoncyclistsunion.org with your needs and we will add additional programming as is possible. 

If you are planning an MBTA and bike combo route, here are a few things to know:

  • Commuter Rail will be free during the shutdown if you board in zones 1A, 1 and 2 if you show your Charlie Card. For the most part, you cannot bring bikes on to the commuter rail during commuting hours. Look up the rail line that you will take and check if there is a bike icon indicating that bikes are allowed on the train. 
  • Shuttle buses between Forest Hills and Copley as well as Oak Grove and Government Center. We do not believe there will be any way to put a bike on these buses. 
  • You can put your bike on the front of an MBTA bus! Check out Boston Bike Mayor’s tutorial on Tik Tok. 
  • Share your feedback with the city on how they can improve your transportation experience by emailing orangeline@boston.gov. 

Other resources about the shutdown:

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