The latest step for the Green Line Extension, which was scaled back last year, is the filing of the official Notice of Project Change to the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. The new design, like the previous design, is expected to comply with the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA). "GLX Files Project Change Notice With Environmental Affairs" (Somerville Patch)
Our beloved Green Line Extension is #28 on this list of "Emergency and National Security Projects" coming out of the Trump administration. Some might say it's on the list because the funding has already been allocated and he can easily try to take credit for it. In any case, let's build it! "Green Line extension makes Trump's infrastructure list" (Boston Globe)…
"T building out Green Line Ext team" (CommonWealth Magazine) "John Dalton, the T's point person on the Green Line Extension, also said he has hired four other employees to help him oversee the project, leaving only two vacancies on his seven-person team....The T is meeting Wednesday and Thursday with federal regulators to complete a risk assessment of the project that will…
From Rep. Provost’s email newsletter…
On December 10, 2016, I was invited to give a presentation as part of a program titled “Reviving Federal Investment in Public Transit: Build Subways, not Submarines.” The program, held at MIT’s Stata Center, was expected to draw 50 -75 people; 125 from around the region attended, and an overflow room with a video screen had to be set up to accommodate those present. It’s encouraging to me that so many people care enough about transit to give up half a Saturday in December, to be informed and energized about it.
The topic that program organizers asked me to speak on was “Building the Green Line Extension (GLX) We Need.” Since Somerville folk tend to be wholly on board with transit funding, and with GLX in particular, I wasn’t surprised that not many attended the December 10 program. I do, however, want to let those who did not attend know what I had to say about the GLX, so here is my text:
“First, I want to make a disclaimer about my remarks. They represent my views only; not those of the City of Somerville, other members of Somerville’s legislative delegation, or of any organization. It is, however, a Somerville-centric view of the GLX, because that’s my patch. (more…)
"Aldermen approve Green Line funding in 'momentous vote'" (Somerville Journal) "Citing public support and an in-depth due diligence process during recent weeks, the Board of Aldermen unanimously voted to approve $50 million to fund the Green Line Extension on Dec. 8. Without municipal contributions from Somerville and Cambridge, city officials emphasized, the project would not proceed." "Somerville Aldermen Approve $50M Green…
Here's the short version of the latest schedule: Underway: Evaluating and selecting the Design-Build contractors Feb 2018: Construction begins June 2021: Union Square station opens Sept 2021: Other stations open For more details on the process, the Community Path, view the State's presentation from this week's public meeting.
"New Green Line stations are delayed until 2021" (Boston Globe) "John Dalton, the new project manager for the $2.3 billion extension, spoke about the new timeline at Somerville High School on Wednesday night and said the public should be confident that the T could complete the project in time. 'There's real momentum now,' he said. But the project still needs to…
Key members of the Green Line Extension team came to Somerville High School last night, and so did hundreds of residents supporting the Green Line.
The good news is that the project is moving forward again, and now with an experienced project manager at the helm.
The bad news is that all of this delay has of course pushed back the timeline, and stations won’t start opening until mid-2021. Remember when the Green Line was supposed to open in 2011? Yeah, so do we.
The other bad news is that the State is still saying the Community Path is too expensive to build all the way to Lechmere. Many residents urged the team to try harder. So do we.
Keep reading for Ken Krause’s great summary of the meeting…
"Residents pro-GLX, but worry of tax increases" (Somerville Journal) "At a November public hearing about the Green Line Extension (GLX), many decried the necessity for Somerville to contribute funding as 'legalized extortion,' and others deemed the loss of a full community path that would have connected to Boston a 'tragedy.'"
"Could a Trump administration kill the Green Line extension?" (Boston Globe) "Trump campaigned on a platform that called for heavy infrastructure spending, a sign that could potentially bode well for transportation projects. That appeared to be good news for the embattled Green Line extension that the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is moving forward on - and which is banking on $1 billion…