Green Line Extension to Medford & Union Sq

[AndrewOnTheMBTA]

Looks like work on this part of the tracks in nearing completion.
View attachment 16433

Will the replacement footbridge to Science Park be built with this project? I believe the planning started in 2016 for this.

 

[jcunion]

Any highlights from the meeting today?

 

[devnull]

Over the past couple days, I took some pictures of the current progress at most of the stations...

Starting from the top, Medford/Tufts. Here's the crossover right before the new station (featuring a northbound Downeaster):

And a couple pictures of the Medford/Tufts station itself:

Next, moving down to Ball Square (from the Broadway bridge), you can clearly see how the station will tie into the bridge:

And then on to Magoun Square (from the Lowell St bridge):

And, on the other side of the bridge, the new part of the Community Path is taking shape:

 

[devnull]

Next, some pictures of the future Gilman Square station (a couple from the School St bridge, and one from down on Medford St):

I didn't make it to East Somerville, but we can jump over to Union Square next (looks like they're making some progress on whatever they're building next to the new station too):

And, finally, some pictures of new Lechmere (the new station entrances are starting to take shape, but it's still a bit hard to get a feel for what they'll look like when it's all done):

Hope y'all enjoy!

 

[reno]

In that last picture someone has marked out rebar with insufficient or no concrete cover. I'm sure they will repair it.

 

[ceo]

It surprises me how narrow the entrance to Ball Sq from the bridge is; the gap between the bollards looks barely one wheelchair wide.
And is it just me, or does the bridge at Magoun Sq look like a gangplank to a floating dock?

 

[RandomWalk]

The Magoun entry is also supposed to have a bike cage. I expect that folks with panniers will get hung up on the bollards when riding through them.

 

[BeeLine]

Sorry for the quality, but I thought you might like a slightly different perspective.

IMG_4428 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr
IMG_4429 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr
IMG_4430 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr
IMG_4431 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr
IMG_4432 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr
IMG_4433 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr
IMG_4436 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr
IMG_4437 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr
IMG_4438 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr
IMG_4440 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr
IMG_4441 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr
IMG_4442 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr
IMG_4443 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr
IMG_4444 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr

 

[Dr. Rosen Rosen]

Speaking of entrances to the new stops, how will one get into the East Somerville station? Somewhere off of Washington near Olivias Steakhouse, or between the bridge and the building (seen below), or Joy street (which is the side I assume the community path gives access?) Anyone share the latest plans/drawings pls?

 

[The EGE]

Through the bridge/building gap - a ramp will lead up to the Community Path and the station entrance.

 

[themissinglink]

This is a site plan for East Somerville, not sure if it's the current design or not as the presentation looks to be from December 2018.

 

[stick n move]

Speaking of entrances to the new stops, how will one get into the East Somerville station? Somewhere off of Washington near Olivias Steakhouse, or between the bridge and the building (seen below), or Joy street (which is the side I assume the community path gives access?) Anyone share the latest plans/drawings pls?

View attachment 16727

Through there^

 

[Arlington]

East Somerville, like every stop (except Lechmere & Ball Sq) is missing at least 1 obvious entrance where you ask “why didn’t they just connect it to a more obvious intersection” or “why not both ends?” And the answer appears to be a little bit on abutters and a lot of Value Engineering.

it isn’t much consolation to note that we’ve been saying the same thing In the “transformation” thread about Sullivan’s lack of a footbridge to the Somerville side of its tracks

 

[stick n move]

They definitely had to cut a lot of costs to get it built, and it almost still didnt, so unfortunately it just is what it is for now. The good thing is once the glx is built out and running it wont be too hard to add a few things here and there to improve things over time. Its a lot better to add some entrances to an existing transit network than have a perfect system that never gets off the ground.

The best part in my opinion is that its getting built (obviously) and that its entirely grade separated. The ROW was already separated, but just as far as how effective it is going to be at moving people, its going to be very high day 1. Its going to be one of the best sections of the entire green line system from a throughput/transit time standpoint so adding a couple more minor things isnt a big deal in the grand scheme when were getting a grade separated powerhouse.

 

[HelloBostonHi]

Yesterday @ Ball Sq, no it's not a great photo sorry. Does show the station work is still blocking the tracks and still no catenary out here yet.

 

[Vagabond]

East Somerville, like every stop (except Lechmere & Ball Sq) is missing at least 1 obvious entrance where you ask “why didn’t they just connect it to a more obvious intersection” or “why not both ends?” And the answer appears to be a little bit on abutters and a lot of Value Engineering.

it isn’t much consolation to note that we’ve been saying the same thing In the “transformation” thread about Sullivan’s lack of a footbridge to the Somerville side of its tracks

Look at the secondary access locations. They left routes that will be adjacent development locations. Gilman station and East Somerville (future Curtatone Square station ) will have a second entrance proposed as soon as development permitting begins.

 

[Dr. Rosen Rosen]

Look at the secondary access locations. They left routes that will be adjacent development locations. Gilman station and East Somerville (future Curtatone Square station ) will have a second entrance proposed as soon as development permitting begins.

Where does one find and look at these secondary access locations? I’m not seeing it in the drawing posted above.

 

[The EGE]

For East Somerville, the emergency egress is at the north end of the platform. That could easily be the site for a direct entrance to Washington Street, as was originally planned. Gilman Square lacks a direct entrance to Medford Street (again, the original and sensible plan), but it would not be difficult to add later. I could also see second entrances at Union Square (footbridge to both sides of the tracks from the east end), Magoun Square (to Murdock Street, where the emergency exit is), and Ball Square (to the north side of the tracks) being viable and relatively inexpensive add-ons later to shorten the walk from nearby neighborhoods.

BTW, the most recent station designs (November 2019) are here. Not all are 100% design, but I doubt there's been any substantial changes.

 

[Dr. Rosen Rosen]

For East Somerville, the emergency egress is at the north end of the platform. That could easily be the site for a direct entrance to Washington Street, as was originally planned. Gilman Square lacks a direct entrance to Medford Street (again, the original and sensible plan), but it would not be difficult to add later. I could also see second entrances at Union Square (footbridge to both sides of the tracks from the east end), Magoun Square (to Murdock Street, where the emergency exit is), and Ball Square (to the north side of the tracks) being viable and relatively inexpensive add-ons later to shorten the walk from nearby neighborhoods.

BTW, the most recent station designs (November 2019) are here. Not all are 100% design, but I doubt there's been any substantial changes.

Thanks for sharing that link. I’m not really following how there’d ever be direct access from Washington street. Unless you come up under/through the bridge in between the tracks?

Regarding the Gilman stop access from Medford St - won’t the community path provide direct access?

 

[The EGE]

Yes, between the tracks was the original plan for East Somerville. The tracks north of the station are now slightly closer together, so you'd have to go to street level at the north end of the platform with a short tunnel to Washington Street, but that's doable.

Similarly, the Gilman Square design had a headhouse near the Medford/Pearl intersection (Gilman Square proper), as well as the south entrance. The addition of the west entrance in the current design is a definite plus, but the Pearl Street entrance needs to be built next to the substation. It would shorten the walk from the northeast by about 500 feet (2 minutes) of walking - that's a substantial amount for a new entrance.