Yesterday afternoon at a meeting with MBTA General Manager Beverly Scott, community leaders and advocates learned that the Federal government will recommend the Green Line Extension project for New Starts funding, including $100 million for fiscal year 2015, starting September 1, 2014! MassDOT and the MBTA still have substantial work ahead in documenting the project and the state's long-term ability to…
What will riding the Green Line extension look like? Check out this simulation of a ride from the new Lechmere station to College Ave, as shown at a Feb 24 public meeting. Randy Henke, Director of Design for AECOM/HNTB, provides the narration.
Boston.com: "Report warns of rent hikes along Green Line route in Somerville" "A report about the housing impact of extending the Green Line into Somerville is warning that rents could skyrocket by as much as 67 percent in some areas and put lower-income residents at risk of being displaced." Somerville Journal: "Study: GLX could jack up some rents in Somerville by…
Boston.com: "New report to be released on neighborhood change stimulated by Green Line extension" "As Somerville's appeal continues to grow and more young professionals and families look to Somerville as a place to live, work, play and raise a family, we must continue to protect those long-term residents who chose this city years ago while welcoming new additions to our community,"…
MassDOT and the MBTA are looking for artists who'd like to apply to contribute public art to the future Green Line stations. They've released a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) focused first on the Lechmere, Union Square, and Washington St stations, and are accepting submissions until Feb 20. Learn more on the official Green Line site.
Somerville Journal: "New noise barriers coming for train tracks in Somerville" "Because the existing commuter rail must be moved over to make room for the Green Line tracks, workers will have to cut into the dirt slopes on either side, necessitating retaining walls, said Mike McBride, a senior program manager for the Green Line Extension project at contractor HDR....New sound barriers…
The draft of the $12.4 billion capital investment plan by Gov. Patrick’s administration includes $1.3 billion for the Green Line extension. It’s a blueprint and although there’s no guarantee that all the projects in the plan will get funding, it’s a another good sign for the Green Line. This plan continues to assume that about half of the Green Line costs will come from federal New Starts funding.
The plan also includes a long-term vision and map for what the MBTA system might look like in 2024. Continue for the full map and press coverage.
"Green Line Planners in Discussions with Track Abutters" "There are about 470 parcels of private property along the MBTA's right-of-way that will be directly affected by construction of the Green Line in Cambridge, Somerville and Medford....Of those, more than 200 parcels contain single-family, two-family or three-family homes....Along the tracks, Green Line builders will construct retaining walls, and where tracks are close…
Boston Globe: "Somerville poised to grow along Green Line" "Curtatone said the Green Line extension is not the city's panacea. But the mayor - who recently announced a drop in property taxes for residents because of business growth - said the new subway stations will help create jobs, housing, and strengthen the infrastructure that will allow long-timers to stay. 'We want…
Two recent independent studies now suggest that simply living near major roadways and breathing harmful emissions from motor vehicles might be an even greater threat to U.S. health than accidents are. Read more.