Green Line Extension to Medford & Union Sq

Electrical(?) getting buried beneath the community path along the Magoun stop. (Edit: This is the Gilman Sq stop)

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Is anyone else baffled that this kind of work is occurring this late in the project? The June 2021 delay of this branch cited supply chain issues as the main driver for pushing it from December 21 to May 22. I'm very confused why there's any excavation work occurring in March given this sort of thing is not really contingent on supply chains. These aren't retaining wall installs or elevator assembly. It's laying wiring behind a wall that's been completed for more than 18 months.
 
kjdonovan said:
Is anyone else baffled that this kind of work is occurring this late in the project? The June 2021 delay of this branch cited supply chain issues as the main driver for pushing it from December 21 to May 22. I'm very confused why there's any excavation work occurring in March given this sort of thing is not really contingent on supply chains. These aren't retaining wall installs or elevator assembly. It's laying wiring behind a wall that's been completed for more than 18 months.
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I wonder if it had anything to do with asbestos remediation as is the issue with the high school.
 
Maybe they took advantage of the delay to either a) upgrade something that would have been passable but not ideal before, or b) do some unrelated work that would have to have been done down the road?
 
It might be as simple as that crew needing parts for some other area of the job, and no wanting to bring a crew on site until they had parts in to do everything in one go. Just normal sequencing/scheduling stuff.
 
erom said:
It might be as simple as that crew needing parts for some other area of the job, and no wanting to bring a crew on site until they had parts in to do everything in one go. Just normal sequencing/scheduling stuff.
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This or the asbestos are the most plausible. Critical paths and schedules are getting thrown all over the place. Props to project controls specialists/schedulers/buyers. It's been a crazy 2 years.
 
Union Sq: Sidewalks and steps in progress - on Prospect st to the elevator/stairs, and from the elevator to the platform.

Definitely a narrow sidewalk on Prospect. Developer Greg (I happened to chat with him the other day at the site) said it will be narrow for now, but will get expanded when the guardrail comes down and further landscaping is done at the lower level right next to the buildings.

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Nice looking Union Sq sign! Also, I’m curious if the scaffolding right next to the sidewalk at ground level of the tower (in the second picture) means that they’re going to allow pedestrian access from Somerville Ave directly to the platform, bypassing the elevator??

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As we approach Union Sq opening and that other branch is approaching. I need a refresher on some trailing questions.

What's the status on Route 16? I remember it will be in a "future phase" after the current ones are done. But now that are we getting really close to the finish line, there should be more chatter on this if it's gonna happen at all (or at least within our lifetimes)

What's the status of Porter extension? You know the funny thing, this is probably more likely to happen due to things like how they are making sure the substation doesn't block the extension gives it so much more seriousness despite there's less official planning on this in a way.

It would be nice if GLX can keep going with such stations without being +20 years. Not to mention things like the construction crews so it makes makes sense they can just "keep going" (though I know reality is they cant just keep digging and laying rail with no plans and designs). It would also help keep institutional memory as the next project is still years away with Red-Blue.
 
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ant8904 said:
As we approach Union Sq opening and that other branch is approaching. I need a refresher on some trailing questions.

What's the status on Route 16? I remember it will be in a "future phase" after the current ones are done. But now that are we getting really close to the finish line, there should be more chatter on this if it's gonna happen at all (or at least within our lifetimes)

What's the status of Porter extension? You know the funny thing, this is probably more likely to happen due to things like how they are making sure the substation doesn't block the extension gives it so much more seriousness despite there's less official planning on this in a way.
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GLX extension to Route 16 has a preliminary design and environmental document done, but NIMBYs in West Medford are a problem for extending it past that, and of course there is no funding designated for final design and construction even just to route 16. The GLX extension to Porter is far in the future, but as you say, will get a boost if the substation project at Union Square can be built to be out of the right-of-way. The Red-Blue connector is probably the next MBTA project. as it has the backing of Mass General, and no NIMBY vetching.
 
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At first, Mass. General wasn't too pleased with the idea. The hospital was kicking mad & had seemed to want nothing else to do with it! It had felt that the idea wouldn't benefit the workers there who were using the subway to get to & from work. :unsure:
 
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GLX station information has officially been uploaded to various online map services… one thing that caught my eye is that Union Square is listed as having E and D line service. Is it possible that they’re going to run all E and D services to Union until the Tufts branch opens?
 

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They already confirmed that during this interim phase E branch trains will run to Union Sq, then they'll swap it to D branch once the other branch is ready. I think they really want the E branch to have yard access for operational reasons.
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HelloBostonHi said:
They already confirmed that during this interim phase E branch trains will run to Union Sq
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Sure, but not quite what I asked. The way I interpret the maps info is that D and E would run to Union concurrently, which we know won’t be true (at least according to published MBTA plans). I wonder if somebody just messed up, or if they’re willing to have incorrect info up on maps for a couple months until the Medford branch opens.
 
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