State releases analysis of other Green Line support facility locations

In the DEIR, the State mentioned two alternatives to its long-standing preference for building the maintenance facility in Yard 8. Now MassDOT has published a more detailed analysis of the options called Mirror H and Option L. The document includes a preliminary assessment of operations, property acquisition needs, schedule implications, project cost implications, and potential environmental impacts.

Download the analysis (PDF) and make sure to come to the Dec 16 pubic hearing. Keep reading to view maps of the alternatives.

An overview map of all three options:

Yard 8, the State's previous preference:

Mirror H:

Option L:

Here's how the MassDOT describes this analysis...

Dear Green Line Extension Friends -

On October 15, 2009, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) filed a Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Assessment (DEIR/EA) for the Green Line Extension project with the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) Office. As part of the submission, MassDOT identified “Yard 8” as the preferred option for the location of a Green Line vehicle storage and maintenance facility, but also committed to analyze two additional possible sites for the facility: (1) the “Mirror H” site, proposed by the City of Somerville and (2) a site newly conceived by MassDOT and termed “Option L.” Mirror H straddles the Inner Belt area of Somerville and the NorthPoint area of Cambridge. Option L is located immediately adjacent to the MBTA's Commuter Rail Maintenance Facility, also referred to as the Boston Engine Terminal (BET).

Preliminary analysis of the two additional locations, as compared to Yard 8, is now available for review and download on the project website, www.mass.gov/greenlineextension . Please click here to download a copy directly.

The analysis includes a preliminary assessment of operations, property acquisition needs, schedule implications, project cost implications, and potential environmental impacts. The analysis is qualitative in nature at this point, and does not include the level of detail available about Yard 8 in the DEIR/EA.

MassDOT will present and seek public input on these alternatives at an upcoming public meeting. Members of the public, agency representatives, and other project stakeholders are invited to attend the meeting, provide comments, and ask questions. The meeting will include a presentation on the storage and maintenance facility alternatives analyses.

The meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 16th from 6 PM to 8 PM at the Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center (theater) at 41 2nd Street in Cambridge. The Arts Center is located one block from Lechmere Station

For more information on the project, please visit the project website at www.mass.gov/greenlineextension . To contact the project team, please email Kate Fichter.

Please contact Regan Checchio, Regina Villa Associates, at 617-357-5772 x14 or by email at rchecchio@reginavilla.com with requests for language or hearing accommodations.

Thank you for your interest in and support of the Green Line Extension project. Please share this message with others who may be interested.

The Green Line Extension Project Team