Rep. Capuano asks Somerville to give up and not fight for the entire Green Line

Somerville Patch: "Capuano on Green Line: 'Take What We Can'"
"He said Somerville should see how much money the state currently has for the project, 'grab as much of that as we can and build as much of the Green Line as we can.'"

Somerville News: "Breakfast with Congressman Capuano"
"If we hang onto some dream that cannot be funded…that will in the long run end up hurting the people of Somerville."

STEP would like to remind Rep. Capuano that the Green Line Extension isn't a dream. It's a legal commitment. If this commitment isn't honored, the State could lose a huge amount of federal funding. A promise is a promise.

Boston Globe on Green Line update

"MBTA project moving ahead"
Wig Zamore, a founding member of the nonprofit Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership, said the timeline for the first phase is encouraging. "It's taken a very long time to get just to this point," he said. "Somerville is a small, dense city....For us to see a shift to clean transit, so that people don't have to rely on cars, is going to make this a more liveable community."

Green Line bridge construction could begin this year

Somerville Patch: "Early Stages Green Line Construction Could Begin This Year"
The first phase of construction on the Green Line extension project, which will cost about $20 million, according to the Globe, will include bridge reconstruction, demolition work and site preparation.

Somerville Journal: "Detours expected during Green Line bridge work in Somerville"

MBTA still committed to Green Line Extension

Boston Globe: "Somerville, Medford residents reassured Green Line extension coming"
The long-awaited Green Line Extension is on track to move ahead, with the final design of the $1.1 billion public transit project due to be completed in March, and the first phase of construction, including the widening of railroad bridges in Medford and Somerville, to start by the end of this year, MBTA project officials said.

Notes from Green Line construction meeting

Yesterday, MassDOT held a public meeting about the Green Line Extension Phase I Early Bridge & Demolition Contract Scope of Work. Read notes from the meeting from our friends at MGNA.

Upcoming meetings include:
Wednesday, Feb. 8: Washington Street and Union Square station
Early March: Gilman and Lowell Street station
March/April: Ball Square and College Avenue station
March/April: Right-of-way, Noise, Vibration, Retaining Walls
April: Community Path (design currently is at 30%)
September: Phase I construction update
Fall: Public meeting with Phase I construction contractor

The Green Line Extension was supposed to open today

Yup, that's right. Today was the original legal deadline for the State to open the full Green Line Extension. Then it got pushed back to 2014. Then 2015. Now they're saying it will be phased between 2016-2019. Sigh.

There have been 7.5 years of planning (starting with the Beyond Lechmere study in 2004), many frustrating meetings, a lot of talk, but a very disappointing amount of action.

Dear Massachusetts, we aren't going anywhere. We will continue to fight for the full Green Line Extension, as well as worthy interim offset projects in our corridor that will mitigate the repeated delays. Let's try to make more progress in 2012, shall we?

Community Path walking tour

On December 13, a few folks from Friends of Community Path gave a tour of part of the future Path route to Richard A. Davey (CEO of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation) and David Mohler (Chair of the MPO Transportation Planning and Programming Committee).

Read more

Boston Globe: Lechmere station relocating in 2017

"New Lechmere T station could open in early 2017"
"Lechmere Station will be moved across Monsignor O'Brien Highway from its current location and the MBTA will build a new viaduct carrying the Green Line trains to the station before the tracks will be extended through Somerville and to College Avenue in Medford."

Capuano's Op-Ed with his misguided take on the Green Line

Somerville News: "A way forward on the Green Line Extension"

More coverage of Capuano's unfortunate words on the Green Line

Somerville Journal: "Capuano tells Somerville to 'get realistic' about Green Line Extension"

Somerville News: "Capuano returns to BOA"

Community letters support Community Path

Boston Globe: "Community Path among top concerns of Green Line commenters"
"The Somerville Community Path extension is the crucial link in the off-street network of bicycle and pedestrian greenways in the Boston metropolitan area," wrote leaders of the Emerald Necklace Conservancy.

MassDOT reaffirms Green Line commitment

Somerville Patch: "Davey: State is Committed to Green Line Extension"
Despite Congressman Michael Capuano's somewhat gloomy portrayal of the Green Line extension's funding realities, the Department of Transportation is sticking with its current approach, according to Transportation Secretary Richard Davey. "This is an important project and one the state is committed to."