Opinion from the Somerville Journal
There is strong support for and interest in the coming Green Line extension throughout Somerville. With service scheduled to start at the end of December 2014, recommendations for station locations, the best route to Union Square and the location of the Green Line maintenance facility are under way as part of the Draft Environmental Impact Review conducted by the Executive Office of Transportation. The DEIR process includes opportunities for the public to participate in making recommendations. Fortunately, Somerville has many residents who are both very interested and knowledgeable about transportation and land use planning.
EOT has demonstrated openness to recommendations from the community regarding station siting and the Union Square rail alignment. Yet, we are very concerned that EOT has been less willing to consider the community’s concerns about siting an 11-acre maintenance facility and storage for 80 cars in Inner Belt next to the Brickbottom Artists Building, a vibrant, active artists’ community of 155 live/work units and 200 full-time residents. The location they are recommending is at the MBTA’s Yard 8 and adjacent land permitted for commercial development.
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