Author: smulder

Cross-posted from our friends at MGNA…
The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) is finalizing plans for a year-long study to evaluate the impacts and economic development potential surrounding the proposed Green Line station at Mystic Valley Parkway and Boston Avenue on the Medford/Somerville line.
MAPC, the regional land use planning agency for the 101 cities and towns in Greater Boston, has been awarded a $209,000 contract from the state to study the station, which is proposed for Phase II of the Green Line extension project currently being planned. Phase I will extend the Green Line to College Avenue in Medford and to Union Square in Somerville by October 2015.

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"Brickbottom residents reassured on Green Line facility" If you think of the extension as a wishbone north of Lechmere Station - with one side being a short leg to Union Square, and the other side being a much longer leg across Somerville to Medford - the split occurs smack up against the Brickbottom lofts. On one side it bisects the back…

Somerville will receive $1.8 million in federal funding to complete a comprehensive citywide transportation plan and capitalize on the six new Green Line stations. "This federal funding will help the City of Somerville as it prepares for the Green Line, increasing the resources available to implement a thoughtful approach to transit oriented development planning," said Congressman Mike Capuano. Somerville Journal press…

Boston Globe: "A roadblock to revival: The Orange Line opened Malden to new possibilities, but many remain unrealized" "Although the downtown was just one street away from the Malden Center T stop, out-of-towners couldn't see it when they stepped off the subway. Instead, they saw the big brick retaining walls of Government Center and kept walking."

The Green Line Extension Design Working Group is an online forum with discussions among members of the Design Working Group and MassDOT staff working on the Green Line. The group was created so that all email discussions by members are archived and open to the public. Anyone interested may join this group and read the discussion, but only members of the…

You can now download the presentation shown during this week's MassDOT workshops on station design, as well as the early station drawings. Go to www.mass.gov/greenlineextension for the files.

On September 25, more than 50 people hiked along the future Green Line route where the Path will someday be. The tour was led by Friends of the Community Path, which (like STEP) is fighting for getting the Path designed and built. Currently, the State is planning only to design the Path from Lowell St. to Inner Belt. We believe it should be designed all the way to Lechmere and built along with the Green Line construction.
Boston Globe: “Hardy hikers tour Community Path”
Somerville Patch: “Somerville Community Path Extension Not a Done Deal”
Keep reading for many photos of the walk.

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"MassDOT moving on Green Line Extension despite ousting Big Dig firm"

MassDOT withdrew its request for a $24 million contract amendment for the VHB project team to continue Green Line Extension project work after it became immediately clear that there was little Board support for the requested action. This happened because the Board wasn't given adequate information before last month's meeting - for example, regarding project subcontractors, including Parsons Brinkerhoff, and also…

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"