Green Line Extension to Medford & Union Sq

sm89 said:
It was an outside advocacy group that was working on it. Secretary Pollock was VERY involved before she became secretary. Since then though, I'm not sure anything else has happened? She hasn't really spoken about it since.
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Yes. It made the Focus40 universe of projects, which is significant insofar as the state is acknowledging its very existence as a maybe-project to shuffle a few papers about instead of preemptively nuking it from orbit with histrionics over the dreaded "s__t-r___ing" word.

Other than that, not much to pay attention to yet. It's a neighborhood advocacy that's been officially blessed by the Walsh Admin. as a thing that might someday have potential to become a Thing™...and so far that's about all.
 
Have there been any updates IRT station designs? I know they're going to be heavily stripped back from what was originally proposed, but did we ever find out HOW stripped back they'd be?

I'm kinda running under the assumption that we're getting bare-bones platforms with some signs and staircases.
 
Texasian said:
Have there been any updates IRT station designs? I know they're going to be heavily stripped back from what was originally proposed, but did we ever find out HOW stripped back they'd be?

I'm kinda running under the assumption that we're getting bare-bones platforms with some signs and staircases.
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This gives an idea of where they were at in March, after the additives went back in.

https://www.mass.gov/doc/march-8-2018-0/download
 
I got this email over the weekend:

Hello, this is Jackie Rossetti from the City of Somerville with important updates regarding the Green Line Extension project and the start of significant construction.

Beginning on September 4, construction for the GLX will intensify, with more activity and noise within the rail right of way. This work will often occur 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and will continue for several months. While work will not continue in the same specific area each day, we will alert each area as soon as possible when work zones shift and will impact your neighborhood.

Beginning on Tuesday, September 4, and continuing for approximately 2 weeks, GLX Constructors will be working in the rail right of way between Walnut St. and Lowell St., including overnight and on weekends. This work will involve grading of the soil adjacent to the tracks, and should not produce loud noise. Abutters should anticipate noise from trucks and diesel engines during overnight hours. Direct abutters also received flyers from the GLX team earlier this week, but as a reminder you may call 1-855-459-4636 at any time with questions.

Please also note that beginning in late 2018 or early 2019, GLX Constructors will begin work on bridges throughout the City, starting with the closure of the Broadway Bridge in Ball Square for one full year. Earlier this week, the City held a public meeting to discuss this bridge closure, and we are planning a second meeting for late September.

The City of Somerville will continue to coordinate with the GLX team to ensure you’re informed prior to disruptive work in your neighborhood. For more information, including the current schedule of bridge closures, go to somervillema.gov/glx or call the 24/7 GLX hotline at 1-855-459-4636. To sign up for the City’s weekly construction newsletter, email construction@somervillema.gov.
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That Broadway Bridge closure is going to be a nightmare.
 
Take a ride in the Lowell Line from NS to W.Med.Sq.--you will see real construction progress all along the way: mostly prepping the now tree-bare emabankments and the grading and ballasting of the base of the ROW (as a construction accessway)
 
They’re doing work 24/7 to get ready to move the commuter rail tracks to the west side of the ROW. The end of the bike path has a nice view of some of the work.
 
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They’re getting ready to do the interim commuter rail track shift this weekend. I suspect the end of the bike path will be a prime viewing spot for the sidewalk superintendents among us.
 
Do it now!

TODAY (MON OCT 22) is the deadline to support GLX Phase 2 (U-Haul, Boston Ave @ Mystic Valley Parkway)
Please submit a comment that keeps GLX Phase 2 in the 5-year-plan "Doing" bucket--
rather than the "Planning" or "Dreaming" (where it has been relegated in the draft)

https://www.mbtafocus40.com/focus40theplan/#howtocomment
 
If you don't find the survey process (linked in the original) to be a good way of commenting, you can also email to
Focus40@dot.state.ma.us

But please do advocate for restoring the GLX Phase 2 to MVP to "Doing & Planning" from its draft location in "Dreaming"

Arlington said:
Do it now!

TODAY (MON OCT 22) is the deadline to support GLX Phase 2 (U-Haul, Boston Ave @ Mystic Valley Parkway)
Please submit a comment that keeps GLX Phase 2 in the 5-year-plan "Doing" bucket--
rather than the "Planning" or "Dreaming" (where it has been relegated in the draft)

https://www.mbtafocus40.com/focus40theplan/#howtocomment
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kingofsheeba said:
They said that they were going to roll those out incrementally.
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It's not a consequential milestone, because that's only a target for revenue tests of the pilot cars, of which there are currently only 2 units comprising 1 train. Production deliveries aren't supposed to start until May 2019. The Type 8's similarly only had 2 pilot cars in-service when they made their revenue debut 19 years ago. So the milestone is little more than bragging rights for somebody to say they got to ride the newest thing first.


The more significant Green Line achievement for 2018 is the pending completion of the Type 7 midlife overhaul program. 88 cars back in full service including the first three 3700 series rebuilds, 2 back in-testing, and only 13 left to go (including 2 wrecks being revived for service after years on the sidelines). At the current rate of returns, all units still out for rebuild with possible exception of the lone 3700-series wreck rebuild unit still TBD should be back before Xmas. Kinki-Sharyo fleet availability now surpasses Breda fleet availability (88 vs. 86), and this will be the first winter in years the GL will be operating with adequate reserves to stay ahead of storm or flash-freeze attrition. That's huge.

Really, until GLX opens the only thing the Type 9's enable is a return to regular 3-car trains if they want to start rolling out more 7-8-7 sandwiches on lines like the D and/or B for end-'19 and '20. The +30 car option (24 + 30 = 54 total cars) that's still open with CRC on that contract basically equates to the above-and-beyond capacity expander that makes peak-period triplets a full-time deal.
 
If they ever extended the Union Sq branch to Porter, would they consider an intermediate stop at the Dane St. overpass? Don't know if its too close to Union Sq stop, but it seems to be geogrpahically about the middle of the 2 stations. There's decent commercial activity north of the tracks, with Greentown Labs and a few other places, and mostly residential south of the tracks. Might be surplus, but looks like it could fill a gap if this line was ever extended.
 
The concepts that I have seen for a GLX between Union and Porter Squares generally do propose an intermediate stop.

The exact cross street is the kind of thing that you'd have to have a lot of local input on. I seem to recall any of those 4 "midpoint" streets: Sacramento, Kent, Park, or Dane.
 
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