Green Line Extension Lechmere to Medford

PraiseX6 wrote:I can't answer "why" I can only go by what I was told. I wasn't a fan of the "S" name but it was S for 2 reasons and I can't recall them (I'll ask him next week I promise guys). Also as I said in an early post it will be in the SULLIVAN AREA (That doesn't mean the stop is going to be called SULLIVAN) I didn't choose why they picked NS but I liked the idea because I originally came up with that idea! (If you notice early in this thread) Don't worry guys next meeting I will be attending and I can ask all of your questions. Sadly it's not open to the public yet :). Does the idea have flaws? Of course it does but thats were they are heading.

What meeting is this? I'm on the mailing lists of several of the advocacy organizations concerned with the Green Line extension, and this is the first I've ever heard of this nonsensical idea. And they're not even close to any final decisions about station locations etc. and none of those decisions will be able to be made without extensive public input. I think someone, and I'm not saying it's you, is making stuff up.

Thank you ceo. As I am only going what I was TOLD. I personally don't think he was making it but maybe I was wrong. I'm going to visit this week and I'll LOOK into the issues more. Any questions you guys have?

PraiseX6 wrote:Thank you ceo. As I am only going what I was TOLD. I personally don't think he was making it but maybe I was wrong. I'm going to visit this week and I'll LOOK into the issues more. Any questions you guys have?

What about the stations on the Medford side? I have seen different plans with different stations. I'm sure that this will keep changing until the last minute but I'd just like an update.

But please find out more bout this SULLIVAN stuff, it is certainly news to us.

The original proposed stations were Washington St, Gilman Square, Central St, Lowell St, Ball Square, College Ave, Winthrop St, North St and West Medford.

There is some controversy in Medford as to whether the line should go all the way to West Medford, mostly around traffic and parking issues. West Medford sees a lot of traffic already, and they don't want lots of commuters driving in and parking on local streets. There's also the persistent misconception that the line would have to cross Rte. 60, adding to the backups caused by the commuter rail crossing. The DEIS for the project described the line as ending at Winthrop St, by Tufts. A group called the Medford Green Line Alliance is calling for the line to end at Rte. 16, by the Wild Oats, and combine the College Ave and Winthrop St stations into a single station halfway between, across from the Tufts police station.

I think it should go all the way to West Medford, not least because that would enable transfers to the commuter rail for outbound commuters.

Meanwhile, there are some people calling for a stop on Cedar St, supposedly to serve Magoun Square, instead of on Broadway at Ball Square, which I think is a terrible idea: that location isn't actually any closer to Magoun Square than the Broadway location, and doesn't serve Ball Square remotely as well. (I live near Ball Square, so this is of personal interest.)

I could see a station at Central Street or at Lowell Street, but not both. Lowell Street would be my preference, since the Community Path extension would meet the Green Line there. A Lowell Street station would also result in more evenly spaced stops.

Central Street is where the Somerville Junction station historically was.

The Ball Square station (actually called North Somerville) historically was just on the Medford side of the square, near the (defunct?) bowling alley.

I was thinking that if there was a stop at Lowell St it could connect pedestrians to Davis via the Minuteman Trail. They would need to extend it, and even though there are plans floating out there to extend it all the way to NorthPoint, this would be a good Step 1.

It seems if they would go all the way to Wild Oats it would be short sighted to not go to West Medford to connect with commuter rail.

I've heard that the right-of-way from Route 16 to West Medford is not wide enough for four tracks, and therefore would require taking people's backyards. Anyone know for sure?

NRGeep wrote:It seems if they would go all the way to Wild Oats it would be short sighted to not go to West Medford to connect with commuter rail.

Because the Route 16 stop is technically within Somerville city limits, so they don't have to deal with the West Medford NIMBY's to get it out that far. If West Medford wants to fret itself out of a stop, they're welcome to. Somerville's got no problem fighting for its stops, and would have no problem keeping all the TOD on that site for the exclusive benefit of its side of Route 16.

I've heard that the right-of-way from Route 16 to West Medford is not wide enough for four tracks, and therefore would require taking people's backyards. Anyone know for sure?

Using Google Earth close-up aerial photography and its measuring tool, I get a 50+ ft. wide railroad right-of-way. This is probably wide enough for four tracks: two commuter rail and two light rail.

I went in today with a fellow forum friend. That being said after I did some map look outs - I do not think this idea will happen.

How can you turn 3 lines at NS doing the Rush? Impossible. Also Sullivan isn't the correct area.. maybe it was summerville and I misunderstood.

That being said.. I HOPE he was messing with me and did it as a mean joke. I have a fellow forumer who will CONFIRM this story if you ask him too. Goodbye my beloved MBTA Rail Fans.

PraiseX6 wrote:I went in today with a fellow forum friend. Althought I do consider this day very dissapointing (for other reasons) MY MAIN SOURCE WASN"T THEIR TODAY HES ON VACTION. Another source who OVERHEARD the story confirmed what my ORGINAL source had said.. That being sad after I did some map look outs - I do not think this idea will happen.

How can you turn 3 lines at NS doing the Rush? Impossible. Also Sullivan isn't the correct area.. maybe it was summerville and I misunderstood.

That being said.. I HOPE he was messing with me and did it as a mean joke. I have a fellow forumer who will CONFIRM this story if you ask him too. Goodbye my beloved MBTA Rail Fans.

I hope you don't think that the people who give you this private non-public information don't read this forum; or that their colleagues don't. As a privileged railfan you should learn to keep things to yourself and not put other people's jobs in jeopardy for doing nothing other than being nice to you. I believe you've already been scolded once for this.

And that goes for everyone here. No one else has been guilty of this that I've seen, but if you're given special treatment by someone in the T don't go blabbing their information publicly. They're doing you a favor--don't screw them.

Well I got an email from my dad today...

Green Line Expansion to Medford, Somerville Delayed
Posted by insidemedford on 08 Aug 2007 at 10:36 am under State House News
The completion of the Green Line extension to Medford and Somerville has
been delayed until 2016 because the state is trying to get the federal
government to pay for the project.

Members of the Medford and Somerville state delegations were frustrated to
learn about the delay during a meeting with Governor Deval Patrick and
Transportation Secretary Bernard Cohen last week to discuss federal funding
for the project.

The state wants the federal government to pay for half of the $800 million
extension. Receiving the federal funds would subject the project to more
extensive and time-consuming environmental reviews.

State Senator Pat Jehlen said they were concerned the state is giving a
similar project for southeastern Massachusetts more priority because a lack
of federal funding for that project means it will progress faster, though it
will cost more.

“We said there is a possibility of a lawsuit should [the state’s] commitment
be delayed, but we also discussed the state’s moral obligation to our
community, which has been underserved and overburdened. [It’s] unfair for
our transit to be delayed because it is more worthy and therefore eligible
for federal match,” Senator Jehlen wrote in a Green Line update.

The Conservation Law Foundation, an environmental non-profit that recently
won a lawsuit against the state for falling significantly behind in its
transportation projects to mitigate increased traffic and pollution from the
Big Dig, released a strong statement of criticism at this most recent
setback.

“Not only does the Commonwealth have a legal obligation to stop backpedaling
on the Green Line Extension, it has a moral duty to reduce air pollution,
spur economic development and expand transit equity for these
long-underserved communituies,” said CLF President Phil Warburg.

Sen. Jehlen said Transportation Secretary Cohen will get back to them by the
end of the month with ideas on expediting the environmental review process.
In the mean time, the delegation plans to meet with Mayor Michael McGlynn,
Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone, the Medford Greenline Neighborhood Alliance
(MGNA), and others shortly to discuss the situation.

In other Green Line news, MGNA member Ken Krause said the state Executive
Office of Transportation recently completed its status reports on various
projects, including the Green Line extension, and is accepting public
comments until September 7. Comments can be submitted in person at two
public hearings held in Boston on September 6 or in writing to Katherine
Fichter, Executive Office of Transportation, Office of Transportation
Planning, Room 4150, Ten Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116.

Ever get the feeling your whole transit agency is just a re-run. How many times are they gonna get away with delaying commitments out of existence until they get nailed...HARD...for it. I'd like to know how many simultaneous lawsuits that'll take.

This has gotten so easy for them they've raised it to art form.

My god, Mass can't do anything right.