MBTA Green Line Extension Project past the halfway mark
Green Line Extension (GLX) project staff were joined by Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, Massachusetts Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) General Manager Steve Poftak at the Lechmere Station to tour the ongoing GLX work.
“The Green Line Extension is a transformational project for the region, and will improve access to jobs, housing and education across eastern Massachusetts,” said Gov. Baker. “We are proud of our administration’s work to set this project on the right track and are thrilled to be able to spotlight ongoing construction today. We’re grateful for our collaboration with local and federal partners and for the hard work of the GLX project team as we look forward to the project’s completion.”
In conjunction with the MBTA’s $8 billion Building a Better T program, GLX will extend the Green Line approximately 4.7 miles north along two branches from a relocated Lechmere Station to Union Square in Somerville and College Avenue in Medford. To date, the project is more than 50 percent complete and progressing as scheduled. When complete, GLX will provide service in areas that did not previously have access to reliable public transit and will significantly reduce vehicle emissions on the road by supporting anticipated increased ridership.
“By working with local communities, federal partners and many others, the commonwealth was able to advance the Green Line Extension Project, and we’re excited about its ongoing progress,” said Lt. Gov. Polito. “We look forward to the completion of this important project that will significantly improve our transportation system and provide benefits for residents across the Greater Boston area.”
“The Baker-Polito Administration is proud of how this project has moved from dream to reality after being jumpstarted several years ago when $1 billion in savings were achieved and two communities contributed funding,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack. “I want to express my gratitude to the project team, MBTA capital delivery and our municipal partners for closely collaborating on track, bridge and other core work that will give community members Green Line service at six new station stops by the end of 2021.”
“With construction of the Green Line Extension more than 50 percent complete, we’re well on our way to delivering new rail service to transit-dependent communities in Somerville, Medford, and Cambridge, and providing access to more economic, educational, and recreation opportunities,” said MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak. “I want to express my continued appreciation to the Baker-Polito Administration for their leadership, our municipal partners for their collaboration on essential work in propelling this project forward, and the entire GLX team for the remarkable progress.”
The total project cost is nearly $2.3 billion, which includes other project components such as real estate, professional services, contingency and the procurement of 24 new trolleys to augment the existing Green Line fleet. Construction is staffed daily with approximately 650 management and field staff personnel with over 2.5 million design and construction job hours expended as of August 2020. Nearly 77,000-square feet of retaining walls have been installed within the project corridor, 39,000-cubic yards of concrete have been installed, the installation of caissons supporting the viaduct is 100 percent complete and the installation of viaduct steel is nearly complete at 95 percent. The complete reconstruction of two bridges at Broadway and Washington Streets has been finished with these bridges reopened.
When complete, GLX will have installed 100,000 railroad crossties, 21,000 linear feet (nearly four miles) of pilings, 22 million pounds of steel girders, 17 miles of permanent track and two miles of multiuse community path.
