Green Line Extension to Medford & Union Sq

Lechmere Viaduct work is officially (or at least presented to the Board level of "official") set to be done in June. It looks like the entire extension will be shut down during this work.

by done do they mean finally up to actual design speed ?
 
by done do they mean finally up to actual design speed ?

I would assume they are completing the work that has resulted in the speed restriction on the viaduct. It sounds like they'll be more specific about the work once they have more concrete plans in place - today's board meeting had a lot of information, and the GM's report on upcoming work was kept brief.

I wouldn't put bets on meeting "actual design speed."
 
Aforementioned details:

Accessible shuttle bus service will replace Green Line trains on both GLX branches between Government Center and Union Square as well as Medford/Tufts Stations during the weekends of June 3-4 and June 10-11

This service change allows the GLX team to complete final finishing work, including track and drainage work around the Red Bridge, Inner Belt Yard, and other locations. MBTA crews will also perform additional work along the East Cambridge Viaduct. Additional Green Line service changes may take place later in June, and the MBTA will announce more information when these changes are confirmed and scheduled.

While this announcement is rather vague about the "additional service changes," I suspect it is related to other portions (North Station to Government Center) which were mentioned during the board meeting.
 
Given the number of folks out working on the path today, my cynical spider sense is half expecting the T to hang a Mission Accomplished* banner on Memorial Day.

*some restrictions may apply.
 
The T has added an alert to their website about Pedal & Park not being functional at GLX stations:
1685330856459.png
 

"........Along the way, near the Gilman Square stop, he met Josh Rosenstock, 49, who passed by Medford Street on a bike.
Rosenstock opted to use the roadway rather than the restricted bike path, but said he was as eager as others to start utilizing the long-anticipated protected lane.
“I think everybody’s impatient,” said Rosenstock. “Big picture, all of this is amazing and such good news for everybody. Short term, we’re all chewing our elbows off......” Yup.



1686167711490.png

1686167754251.png
 

"........Along the way, near the Gilman Square stop, he met Josh Rosenstock, 49, who passed by Medford Street on a bike.
Rosenstock opted to use the roadway rather than the restricted bike path, but said he was as eager as others to start utilizing the long-anticipated protected lane.
“I think everybody’s impatient,” said Rosenstock. “Big picture, all of this is amazing and such good news for everybody. Short term, we’re all chewing our elbows off......” Yup.



View attachment 38869
View attachment 38870
I understand the community's impatience with this, but as a project manager, people cutting past barriers to enter what is still an active construction site is absolutely infuriating to me. I've had to deal with it multiple times, and people do get hurt. Just because no one is working at any one time does not mean the site is usable, and there are still going to be safety hazards around.
 
I understand the community's impatience with this, but as a project manager, people cutting past barriers to enter what is still an active construction site is absolutely infuriating to me. I've had to deal with it multiple times, and people do get hurt. Just because no one is working at any one time does not mean the site is usable, and there are still going to be safety hazards around.

If the general public are casually getting into your worksites it means you have failed at securing them and your company deserves all the shit it will get when someone inevitably does get hurt and sues the shit out of you.
 
If the general public are casually getting into your worksites it means you have failed at securing them and your company deserves all the shit it will get when someone inevitably does get hurt and sues the shit out of you.
I don't disagree on principle, but you'd be surprised at the extent people will go to get into a space that clearly they're not supposed to be in.
 
I don't disagree on principle, but you'd be surprised at the extent people will go to get into a space that clearly they're not supposed to be in.
1000% disagree on principal. That is a stupid statement and way of thinking.

People break the law all the time. Travel in the wrong direction on the highway, and all kinds of other stuff. Do they need reverse spike strips at highway on ramps.

Do you also support the burglar in Liar Liar who hurt themselves in the receptionists friends house?

You go somewhere you don't belong. It's gated. It's got signage. You are wrong and don't get to sue.

The kid who went over two signed fences to get his hat and then had his head punted off by a poor girl in the roller coaster, was that the themes parks fault?
 
If the general public are casually getting into your worksites it means you have failed at securing them and your company deserves all the shit it will get when someone inevitably does get hurt and sues the shit out of you.

The number of pointless signs we come into contact with every day degrades the impact of the ones that are supposed to be meaningful. The Watertown-Cambridge Greenway had "closed" signs up for the longest time even though it was a functional path. Why was it unusable on weekends when they were doing landscaping work on weekdays? How many of us have used blown past the "Emergency Exit Only" signs at Blue Line stations because the stations are designed poorly and there's no consequence.
 
The number of pointless signs we come into contact with every day degrades the impact of the ones that are supposed to be meaningful. The Watertown-Cambridge Greenway had "closed" signs up for the longest time even though it was a functional path. Why was it unusable on weekends when they were doing landscaping work on weekdays? How many of us have used blown past the "Emergency Exit Only" signs at Blue Line stations because the stations are designed poorly and there's no consequence.
There is also a massive difference between trespassing on a private construction site of a commercial/residential building and trespassing on the site of a public, taxpayer-funded transportation asset that has been delayed by nothing more than state incompetence and/or mismanagement.
 
There is also a massive difference between trespassing on a private construction site of a commercial/residential building and trespassing on the site of a public, taxpayer-funded transportation asset that has been delayed by nothing more than state incompetence and/or mismanagement.

Fully agree. I frequently use the path because my alternative route means biking / walking on McGrath. While I’m doing it intentionally, a reasonable person could mistakenly think the path is open. There is no signage indicating that it’s closed at most entrances (I think I’ve seen it at Lowell St and around East Somerville station before the viaduct). In all other places the fences are frequently pushed fully to the side leaving the path wide open.

Occasionally they will use a chain and padlock to secure an entrance, and when they do that the gates don’t get moved. The rare times I come across that I then have to turn around and risk it on McGrath. This really is a case of the contractor failing to properly secure the site. If they don’t want people accessing, all entrances should have signs and the gates should be locked shut. Instead they just put a light fence in the way and act shocked when people go around / move them.
 
Let's stop blaming other parties here:

It's the T's fucking fault for having a Byzantine era mindset that simply doesn't give a shit: If the T was a CREDIBLE party, it's signs and gates would mean something to humanoids.

".......Wilson said he’s also irritated by the mystery of when it will finally open.

“City staff are also in the dark about this,” he said. “My website is just a very meager attempt at doing the bare minimum of communication.”

State Representative Mike Connolly, whose district includes Cambridge and Somerville, has had the same frustrations about the lack of communication from the T.

“Even though I can see that there’s been a lot of progress, they haven’t really engaged with the level of explanation that I think our community deserves,” Connolly said. “My message has just been, be transparent. Show us your punch list. Show us your work charts. Tell us what you’re doing and what has to be done. Be up front......”

No business or government agency in the 21st century should EVER have this level of misanthropism to the clientele it serves and is paid by. Change the public communication office at the T or fire them, Phillip Eng.
 
Last edited:
I think Mike Connolly has been very good, he's about the only one who comes out of this mess with any credit.
Wait till it gets handed over to the city who say they have to close it for 8 weeks to install extra lights.
Agreed. He’s one of the few democrats locally that fights with vigor for these types of projects
 
What kind of ‘transit agency’ announces a major project has been finished and opening the next day. Like two days notice at least guys, what the fuck
 

Back
Top