The new 15-year plan from the Governor says that the State’s “air quality commitment stands and will be honored, but not necessarily through the three projects selected 15 years ago” – including the Green Line extension. The intent of the current review process, which may last through 2005, is to consider “more effective substitutes.” We must keep up the fight!
A Framework for Thinking – A Plan for Action
Quotes from the plan…
“SIP Commitments ($769m). The Commonwealth committed to a long list of transit projects in conjunction with approval for the Central Artery Tunnel Project. Most have been completed. Three are currently the subject of a public process being conducted by EOT and DEP. While EOT has asked that those projects (which were chosen without any public input) should be re-evaluated and that more effective substitutes should be considered, the air quality commitment stands and will be honored, but not necessarily through the three projects selected 15 years ago. These three projects consist of the following: Green Line to Medford Hillside ($461m); Blue Line â Red Line Connection ($237m); and Arborway Restoration ($71m).”
“EOT and DEP are exploring the advisability of changing the regulation that includes the following three projects: the restoration of the Arborway line, the construction of a connection between the Red and Blue Lines at Bowdoin station, and the extension of the Green Line into Medford. Such changes would need to be incorporated into the SIP as well as the regional transportation plans.”
“The Office for Commonwealth Development, the Executive Office of Transportation, and the Department of Environmental Protection are interested in reevaluating outstanding projects to ensure that any further investments fund the best regionally significant projects that meet air quality goals and requirements. The projects to be reevaluated are the Arborway Restoration, Blue Line Connection to the Red Line, and the Green Line Extension to West Medford. The Arborway Restoration is currently in the environmental review process, while both the Blue Line Connection to the Red Line and the Green Line Extension to West Medford are in the initial planning stages and are scheduled for completion in December 2011.”