Green line extension

[phortlane.livejournal.com]

I keep hearing that the Green Line will be extended in Somerville in the next few years, but I haven't heard anything more specific.

Can you point me to something official that says when this will happen? Is there a date planned for the Union Square station ground-breaking? How about the rest of the route?

And is there anything that could get in the way (e.g., not enough funding from the state)? Thank you.

Comments

[secretlyironic.livejournal.com]

The official website is here: http://greenlineextension.eot.state.ma.us/

[somerfriend.livejournal.com]

www.somervillestep.org is also a good resource

Union Square and Washington Street stops are penciled in for 2017 completion. Other stops 2019ish.

As far as ground breaking, well there was sort of one on phase 1 of the project last year, some cynical people like Capuano don't consider that part of the extension. Phase 2, which is really part of it, over the next 12 months.

Rationally speaking, it would be hard to stop this train now due to legal commitment under clean air act, many wheels in motion, funding setup etc. but who knows, could have another 2008 style economic collapse or a new administration that is against it or any number of things.

Why do you want to know?

[irilyth]

There was also at one point a theory that they'd extend it all the way to Route 16. Is that entirely dead at this point?

[ron_newman]

No, but it's considered part of a future extension rather than the one currently underway.

I wish they'd bring back the Winthrop Street station that was in early plans but was later dropped.

[somerville35.livejournal.com]

It ain't happening by 2017, that's the only thing you can count on.

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

5-6 years ago when house shopping, multiple real estate agents kept saying "it's late but will definitely be done by 2014"

[somerville35.livejournal.com]

Exactly, I don't see any meaningful construction happening in this project for at least another 2-3 years.

[somerfriend.livejournal.com]

And the date was 2011 before that. Though during those time periods the project was not being move along as it is now.

[jlauspitz.livejournal.com]

The draft TIP (Transportation Improvement Plan) for 2015-18 programs $78M (out of an estimated $190M total cost) for the extension from Tufts to Route 16:

http://www.ctps.org/Drupal/tip

This draft is open for public comment until June 19, so those wishing to support the extension to Route 16 can comment on-line until that date. A simple sentence supporting the Green Line extension to Route 16 will be registered and tabulated as a positive voice.

[mem-winterhill.livejournal.com]

Done. Thanks for the TIP.

[zmook.livejournal.com]

Some construction actually has started. The rail bridge work at Harvard St and Boston Ave, for instance, is for GLX.

[jlauspitz.livejournal.com]

At the gubernatorial forum on transportation last night the only candidate to mention the Green Line extension was Steve Grossman. The two most likely major party nominees, Baker and Coakley, did not attend. Grossman was also the only one to address the problem of funding transportation projects, which he portrayed as dire. He proposed transportation-oriented earmarking of internet sales tax proceeds-- the so-called Amazon tax-- to supplement indexation of the gasoline tax as a new revenue source. The indexation issue will be on the 2014 referendum ballot, so its passage is by no means guaranteed.

I wish I had a dollar for every time the word "smart" was used to describe transportation and economic development policies in that forum. It seems that uttering the word "smart" is a sign of great intelligence. Even better than "bold" as a sign of strong leadership.