Originally, the Green Line extension was supposed to open this year. Then the promise was pushed back to 2014. Then there was another delay to 2015. And now we hear the shocking, frustrating news from MassDOT that it's looking more like 2018-2020. In its annual status report on transit projects, MassDOT provides various probabilities for when the Green Line might be…
Thanks for everyone who dropped by the STEP booth at this year’s ArtBeat! We appreciate your support. Click for more photos.
Boston Globe: "A hope of renewal for Somerville" "At best, the old elevated McGrath highway will hem in any economic activity following the Green Line extension, creating a barrier that impedes new business from spreading to a section of town badly in need of it. At worst, by severing neighborhoods and stifling physical connections, the McGrath could severely dampen the potential…
"Washington St. Station update" According to Mary R. Ainsley, the Director of Design & Construction at Mass DOT, "The workshops are going great. Everybody is engaging and sharing their input. So far the neighborhood has been embracing the process and it's been positive." More station workshops are scheduled for September and October.
"Five 'smart growth' projects get $1.5m in aid" Five development projects seen as promoting dense urban development oriented around mass transit have been chosen by the Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance to receive $1.5 million in aid - including planning for the future along the proposed MBTA Green Line route through Somerville.
The following is from Jeff Mullan, MassDOT Secretary…
Over the last few days, I have received your calls and e-mails advocating for MassDOT to include both the portion of the Green Line Extension to Mystic Valley Parkway and the extension of the Somerville Community Path in the Regional Transportation Plan currently being considered by the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization. I have also spoken personally with some of you, but the volume does not permit me time to respond to each e-mail individually. Out of respect for all of you and knowing how strongly you believe in both projects, I offer this response.
Somerville Patch: "Questions Raised on Future of Community Path" A large section of the Somerville Community Path, a pedestrian and bike lane that currently exists outside Davis Square and could be extended through Somerville to the Cambridge border near Lechmere, has not been included in a draft long-range transportation plan put together by the influential Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization.
"Green Line Workshop Gives Glimpse of College Ave Station Design" Architects showed preliminary plans for a green line stop at the intersection of Boston Avenue and College Avenue at a design workshop Tuesday night. The design workshop Tuesday was the first in a series that will touch on each planned station. The next workshop - for Ball Square - will be…
The Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) voted today to support a plan that continues to fund the Route 16 portion of the Green Line extension in the 2016-2020 timeframe. The MPO received more than 100 public comment letters in favor of including the Route 16 portion of the Green Line extension into the plan, compared to only 11 against. Joining the…
"Station design approaches for Green Line Extension" "The wheels of the Green Line Extension churned on this last Thursday, May 26, with some hope for progress in the near future. Community members met to hammer out details for working with the new design team Gilbane/HDR and were met with other funding updates."