The Somerville Journal's report of a large state grant for the Community Path turns out to be false. That grant is instead for an access road to the new MaxPak development. Disappointing. Somerville Journal: "MassDOT's grant to Somerville for MaxPak leads to confusion"
Somerville Journal: "Somerville's bike path plans pedal forward with Governor Patrick's visit, $490,000 grant announcement" "Gov. Deval Patrick announced a $490,000 grant to construct a bike path alongside the 199-unit [MaxPak] residential development. The grant money will extend the Community Path from its terminus at Cedar Street to Lowell Street, where it will link up with a planned Green Line station."
Topics included the first GLX Design Working Group meeting, the ISEE conference, and Brickbottom updates. Meeting notes (PDF)
Now that the Preliminary Engineering phase has begun, here's what will happen in the coming months: September: Educational workshops on the elements of station design (elevators, accessibility, etc.) October: Public meetings on the Community Path and maintenance facility November: Station design workshops on each station Spring 2011: Workshops for MassDOT to present updated station designs, plus more meetings on the Community…
Here's the video of the August 9 meeting. This group "will advise MassDOT on the design of six new stations proposed for the neighborhoods of Brickbottom, Gilman Square, Lowell Street, Ball Square, College Avenue, and Union Square, as well as the relocation of Lechmere Station. Working group members will review and advise on design plans, gather and share local input, and…
"Somerville residents sound off about Green Line extension" Criticisms in the public comment letters released last Friday range from the common complaints that the trolley won't extend to Route 16 and the state won't fund construction of a bike path, to less common ones, such as the narrowness of sidewalks around the proposed College Avenue station in Medford.
"Green Line extension impact report approved"
Thanks to all who wrote letters to MassDOT about the FEIR. The State received over 400 letters! View all letters or download some notable letters here: State Rep. Carl Sciortino State Rep. Denise Provost Friends of the Community Path Somerville Chamber of Commerce Conservation Law Foundation Sierra Club (Mass. chapter) Ellin Reisner, President, STEP Wig Zamore, STEP Ken Krause, MGNA
Boston Globe: $1b extension passes key milestone" At the Aug. 11 meeting of MassDOT's board of directors, Mullan and the project team will seek approval for a $24.5 million contract to cover the preliminary engineering and design of the route, stations, and a related maintenance facility. That preliminary work will allow the state to seek one bid for combined design-build, meaning…
The Secretary of Energy & Environmental Affairs has accepted the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) and issued a Certificate to guide the next phases of the project. This means that the Preliminary Engineering phase can now officially begin, where work will continue on station designs with community involvement. Download the certificate (PDF). Here are some highlights from the Certificate: "MassDOT should…