Today in Union Square a crowd gathered for an official groundbreaking for the Green Line Extension project! (Yes, there have been ceremonies like this before, but as a few speakers joked today, this time it will stick.) Keep reading for more photos from the event.
"More Routes = More Riders" (CityLab) According to a new study by researchers at McGill University’s department of urban planning, transit agencies are repelling riders by shrinking routes and schedules on buses in particular. “The more service a transit authority provides (measured as the number of kilometers driven annually by public transit vehicles—VRK), the more transit trips it will attract.”
At the May 1 meeting of the GLX Community Working Group, the project team presented an update that included the following news: The overall design is approximately 15% complete. They shared new viaduct drawings near Lechmere and also Community Path renderings in the same area. Tree clearing will continue through the summer as construction begins in earnest. The Broadway Bridge in Ball Square will…
In case you haven't already seen it, check out the slides from the March 28 meeting at Somerville High School. Lots of important details on the construction plan. And a few renderings of future Gilman station.
"Fighting for Breath in Near-Highway Neighborhoods" "In the neighborhoods straddling Interstate 93 in Somerville, Massachusetts, residents know to keep their windows shut each weekday as commuters travel from Boston's suburbs into the city, their cars spouting exhaust and other pollution that collects as soot on the sides of houses. Infamous for its congested roads and rush-hour backups, traffic on I-93 creates significant air-quality…
START OF WORK: APRIL 2018
General Information
After years of community advocacy and planning, the GLX was given an official “Notice to Proceed” in December 2017, and work is already underway with completion expected by late 2021, which is a contractual obligation by the GLX contractors. The GLX contract team is currently mobilizing at each of the six station areas, and you will begin to see work happening in April around each of these station areas (Union Square, Washington Street, Gilman Square, Lowell Street, Ball Square, and College Ave. in Medford). Preliminary work throughout the month of April will include tree removal, digging test pits, and pest control. More significant construction is expected to begin in summer 2018. Note: you may start to see some larger equipment along the rail corridor beginning in the spring; however, this does not mean that excavation or major construction is beginning at that time. Arrival of equipment is part of the pre-construction preparation.
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The MBTA has issued the Notice to Proceed to GLX Constructors, the joint venture it selected to complete the design and build the extension to Somerville and Medford, and the first $100 million in federal funds has been released. "Federal Funds Issued for MBTA Green Line Extension Project" (MBTA) "The Federal Transit Administration today informed the MBTA Green Line Extension (GLX)…
MassDOT recently updated the community on the possible extension of the Green Line from College Ave to Mystic Valley Parkway (Route 16). Specifically, they walked everyone through a Notice of Project Change (NPC), which describes potential environmental impacts. View the slides to see this additional project's scope and information on noise and vibration, land use, transportation, and more. Some points to consider: The U-Haul…
It's official: Today the Fiscal and Management Control Board unanimously approved the recommendation to hire GLX Constructors to build the Green Line Extension! View the slides. "Green Line extension contract officially approved" (Boston Globe) "The award comes about two years after the board halted all progress on the project due to escalating costs that were projected to get as high as $3 billion. After…