Boston Globe: "Mass. legislative leaders unveil $500m tax plan to shore up transportation system" The plan, while it represents a significant tax increase, falls far short of the $1.9 billion tax hike that Governor Deval Patrick has been seeking and would not fund the major expansion of rail and road projects that the governor wants. Kristina Egan, director of Transportation for…
Boston Globe: "State looks to have Green Line Extension lawsuit thrown out" The state is seeking to have a lawsuit against the Green Line Extension Project thrown out, arguing that its main complaints surround a portion of the project that has not been fully approved yet, and that the West Medford couple that filed the suit did not specify how they…
Somerville News: "MBTA gets set to lay tracks" "Contractor Barletta Heavy Division will start work this month on the first phase of the long-awaited project....An important first step in the $1.3 billion mass transit project, Phase One takes care of two bridges and a building that stand in the way of plans to lay Green Line tracks alongside the existing commuter…
"Massachusetts voters see the potential benefits of raising additional revenue for transportation improvements and are open to several possible sources of revenue, according to a report on a series of polls and focus groups released today by MassINC and The MassINC Polling Group. Detailing how funds will be spent appears to boost that support, the research finds." Read more.
The bond bill includes over $1.3 billion "for the purpose of implementing the Green Line Extension improvements; provided, that funds may be used for transportation planning, design, permitting and engineering, acquisition of interests in land, vehicle procurement, construction, construction of stations, and right-of-way acquisition." Mass.gov: "Governor Patrick Files Transportation Bond Bill" Included: "$4.4 billion for regional rail projects identified in the…
Summary from our friends at Medford Green Line Neighborhood Alliance... Phase I of the project consists of three main elements: reconstruction of the rail bridges over Harvard Street in Medford and over Medford Street in Somerville to accommodate the eventual addition of two Green Line tracks alongside the existing commuter rail tracks, and the demolition of an MBTA building at 21…
Boston Globe: "Davey defends transportation plan, renews commitment to Green Line extension" On the Green Line extension, a project that broke ground last year and intends to extend the line through Somerville to a terminal stop in Medford by 2020, Davey said: "We are absolutely committed to getting that project done."
Somerville Journal: "Transportation key to Somerville's future" "We now have a unique opportunity to restore our transportation system and we must not let it pass. With crumbling roads and bridges, severely outdated MBTA vehicles, and the specter of further cuts to transit service, addressing the transportation funding gap can't wait. When we invest in transportation, we invest in those things we…
Here's a recent photo showing the Orange Line tracks temporarily diverted while the station construction gets underway.
MassDOT's February status report for the Green Line Extension is out, and MGNA has written up a great summary: Phase I Construction The MBTA issued a Notice to Proceed to Barletta Heavy Construction on January 31, 2013. The contractor will be introduced to the local residents and businesses at a community meeting, which will scheduled for March or April. Read more...