Greater Boston is getting ready for an unprecedented transportation disruption, as the Orange Line and a portion of the Green Line will be shut down for 30 days starting Friday.

State of play: The closures will affect more than strap-hangers. Road traffic is expected to increase as shuttle buses take over the routes from Jamaica Plain to Melrose and from Government Center to Union Square.

• Boston is already setting up temporary dedicated bus lanes to facilitate the shuttles, but lane closures will cause heavier automotive traffic.

The latest: At a press conference Monday, Gov. Charlie Baker and MBTA general manager Steve Poftak urged riders to use the Commuter Rail during the shutdown.

• Additional Commuter Rail stops will be added at Forest Hills, Ruggles, Back Bay, North Station, Malden and Oak Grove.
• Stops close to Boston, known as zones 1A, 1 and 2, will be free for anyone with a Charlie Card.

What they're saying: Baker warned commuters, residents and visitors to the metro area to plan ahead if they travel anywhere near the Orange Line or the portion of the Green Line north of Government Center.

• "The plan is to ensure that every rider will have clear information on how they can get around the system, but it will also cause regional travel impacts for drivers, bikers and pedestrians as DOT and especially the city of Boston make great roadway changes to accommodate these buses," Baker said.
• The MBTA released a rider's guide that includes information on how to reset your commute.

The big picture: Baker said the tradeoff for 30 days of patience will be "five years of work" on MBTA infrastructure.

• Shutting down the whole of the Orange Line and some Green Line stops will allow crews to replace the third rail, upgrade signal systems, fix tunnel leaks and prepare for the fleet of all-new cars on the Orange Line.
• MBTA repairs are usually limited to just a few overnight hours when service is closed.
• Federal officials have mandated that the T improve the safety of the transit service.

Boston is one of the top cities for mixed-use housing, or live-work-play apartments, writes Axios' Sami Sparber.

• We're second only to New York City when it comes to new construction that includes residential, office and retail space.

Driving the news: A total of 6,400 mixed-use apartments have been built in Boston since 2012, according to a report from RentCafe. That's 42% of new units.

• The pandemic accelerated the trend, as renters turned to housing with daily activities close by.

One of the best-known examples is Millennium Tower, the luxury mixed-use development that opened in 2016 with more than 400 luxury condominiums.

• One of these units will set you back a few million.

Plus: The seven-building Ink Block development in Boston's South End, which was completed last month, ushered in a Whole Foods, a 205-room hotel and 650 apartments (including a 590-square-foot studio for $3,510 a month, per the website).

Read more

🤧 Students and staff won’t have to isolate if they are exposed to COVID-19 but don’t show symptoms, according to new state guidelines. (Globe)

👮🏾‍♂️ Michael Cox, a Boston native who was most recently the police chief in Ann Arbor, Michigan, was sworn in as Boston's police commissioner yesterday. (WCVB)

🏥 Massachusetts, home to globally renowned hospitals and research institutions, has a nursing shortage thanks to COVID-19, pay discrepancies and burnout. (BBJ)

⚡️ ICYMI: A Watertown-based EV charging startup raised $63 million in a recent funding round. (Axios Pro)

Sophie, a 4-year-old pit bull terrier, is silly, loving and friendly despite the trauma she's endured.

Context: Sophie was rescued from her last home in Western Massachusetts after neighbors complained they could hear her being hit and crying, according to the MSPCA.

• Her body was emaciated, and she had a fractured tooth and anemia when the MSPCA took her in.

State of play: Sophie's doing much better. She's working on her communication skills, and is looking for someone who can give her the love and care she deserves.

• She's best-suited to an adult-only household with no other pets, MSPCA says, but we're sure you'll get so much love from her that you won't need anyone else.
• Find more information about Sophie here.

Steph's thought bubble: If you can't adopt Sophie but still want to see her smile, watch her unboxing video.

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