The State has published a quick summary of where things are with the Green Line extension. This is a good quick read if you want the latest info on the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR), upcoming workshops, and the field survey work already underway. View the Spring update (PDF)
Boston Globe: "Inner Belt chosen for Green Line maintenance facility" Somerville Journal: "Somerville and state finally on same Green Line train of thought" Somerville News: "Somerville's Brickbottom spared MBTA maintenance facility" "We've been pushing back for a year and a half," STEP member Karen Molloy said. "Did anyone bring champagne tonight?"
Today MassDOT announced that it is supporting Option L as the location for the much-debated maintenance facility, happily changing its mind from the Yard 8 location it previously supported. STEP applauds this decision for many reasons, including creating a more livable environment for Brickbottom residents as well as more opportunities for Inner Belt development.
“This is a momentous decision for the City of Somerville,” said Somerville Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone. “Not only does the decision about where to locate the Green Line maintenance facility ensure that the Green Line expansion into Somerville remains on its 2014 timeline, the chosen location creates the opportunity for significant redevelopment inside the city’s industrial Inner Belt. Best of all, this will help preserve the quality of life for nearby residents, notably those in the Brickbottom artist lofts.”
Keep reading for more maps and details.
The Green Line Community Corridor Planning Project invites you to brainstorm how the stations of the Green Line Extension through Somerville will integrate into our neighborhoods. Friday, May 21, 6-8:30 pm: Brief Green Line update and overview of workshop process and goals Saturday, May 22, 1-5 pm: Roll up your sleeves and be creative Wednesday, June 2, 6-8:30 pm: Presentation of…
Somerville News: "Let's repeat a 20-year transportation success in Somerville" Given the widespread agreement about the benefits of linking green space, active transportation and pubic transportation, it does not make any sense to Somerville residents that MassDOT continues to resist combining construction of the Somerville Community Path from the planned Lowell Street Station and along the Green Line Extension corridor to…
If you care about land use and how the new Green Line stations will integrate into Somerville neighborhoods, come to one or more workshops run by MassDOT. These workshops will focus on areas around the planned stations, while future workshops will focus on the stations themselves. See the events listing for details.
The Green Line Community Corridor Planning Project of Somerville is seeking:
to work on design teams with community members this spring to develop sustainable, attractive, easy-to-access light rail stations and station area designs for the new stations on the Green Line extension through Cambridge, Somerville and Medford. Workshop dates to be announced.
We seek volunteers from the professional design and planning communities to participate with community residents in station area design workshops for the Union Square, Washington Street/Brickbottom, Gilman Square, Lowell Street, Ball Square, College Avenue, and Route 16 stations.
Boston Globe: "NorthPoint continues to go south" NorthPoint's owners told the MBTA they'd foot the bill for a shiny new Lechmere Station to act as the gateway for the Green Line extension. They didn't, instead sticking the all-but-bankrupt agency with the construction tab, and setting Green Line service to Somerville and Medford back by years.
U.S. Rep. Ed Markey is seeking $100,000 for MassDOT to plan the last leg of the Green Line extension, from College Avenue to Mystic Valley Parkway (Route 16). Funds would be used for "planning, land use analysis, and conceptual design of Green Line extension from Medford Hillside to Mystic Valley Parkway" (Markey's website).
As part of the upcoming Preliminary Engineering phase of the Green Line Extension project, MassDOT will assemble a group of local citizens, MBTA officials, municipal representatives and business representatives to form the Green Line Extension (GLX) Design Working Group. This working group will advise MassDOT on the design of six new stations proposed for the neighborhoods of Brickbottom, Gilman Square, Lowell…