From the Green Line Extension project web site, benefits will include:
- Provide new and better opportunities for residents and visitors to travel within their communities and within the region, address long-standing transportation inequities.
- Result in fewer automobiles on local roads and help combat greenhouse gas emissions and other components of air pollution.
- Support municipal plans for sustainable growth and development.
- Provide residents of environmental justice communities with faster rides to work and other destinations.
See the Green Line Extension web page for further details and to sign up for the project contact list.
At the same time, the relocation of Lechmere Station across O'Brien Highway is being coordinated with the build out of North Point by DIVCO. DIVCO is responsible for the reconstruction of O'Brien Highway and is working closely with the City of Cambridge and the state to improve existing crossings, and to create new crossings to make the new station readily accessible to the East Cambridge neighborhood.
In 2015, Green Line Extension Project was put on hold due to cost overruns, so that the MBTA could modify the project to reduce costs and rebid the project with an estimated completion date of 2021. The new project was expected to cost up to $1.3 billion, not including the cost of various additive options, including station canopies, an art program, additional elevators (including at Lechmere), full path connections (including from Washington Street to Lechmere), and an enhanced maintenance facility as proposed in the original project. On November 17, 2017, the MBTA opened price proposals for the bidders, and recommended a team, GLX Constructors. The winning bid was less than $1.1 billion and included all additive options. Click here for the presentation to the FMCB about the selection of the bidder and additive options.
Click here for the GLX presentation from October 23, 2017 with updates for the GLX project rebidding and upcoming schedule.
Green Line Extension to Mystic Valley Parkway / Route 16
On October 17, 2017, the MBTA filed a Notice of Project Change (NPC) for the Green Line Extension Project with the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA). The NPC presents a preliminary proposal for a one-mile extension of the Green Line along the MBTA Lowell Line commuter rail right-of-way from the currently planned terminus at College Avenue in Medford to Mystic Valley Parkway (Route 16) in Medford and Somerville. The NPC was noticed in the November 8, 2017 edition of the Environmental Monitor and a public meeting was scheduled for November 20, 2017. No funding source or timeline for project construction has been established yet.
2022
August to September 2022 The MBTA temporarily closed the Green Line Extension to install necessary equipment for the opening of the Green Line Medford branch. The MBTA reopened the Green Line between Union Square, Lechmere, and Government Center on September 19.
June 2022 The MBTA transferred the old Lechmere station to DivcoWest. DivcoWest demolished the old station, bus shed, and rail infrastructure. After demolition, they are constructing a new street connecting First Street and North First Street between Cambridge Street and O’Brien Highway. Click here to see the designs for this new street.
March 21 The MBTA opened the Green Line Extension Union Square branch. The MBTA opened the new Lechmere and Union Square stations and reopened Science Park/West End station.
January The MBTA began running out-of-service test trains from North Station to Union Square station.
2021
December The MBTA began running test trains on the new GLX rail line.
October 24 The MBTA adjusted the downtown terminals for Green Line trains. The new terminals in Downtown Boston are:
- B/Boston College - Government Center
- C/Cleveland Circle - Government Center
- D/Riverside - North Station
- E/Heath Street - North Station
October 21 The MBTA announced that the Green Line Extension (GLX) to Union and Lechmere stations will open in March 2022.
2020
December 9 MBTA's GLX Community Working Group met with MBTA and Green Line Extension staff.
December 1 MBTA's GLX Community Working Group met with MBTA and Green Line Extension staff.
November 3 MBTA's GLX Community Working Group met with MBTA and Green Line Extension staff.
October 6 MBTA's GLX Community Working Group met with MBTA and Green Line Extension staff.
September 1 MBTA's GLX Community Working Group met with MBTA and Green Line Extension staff.
August 28 Weekend closure of Monseignor O'Brien Highway
August 7 Weekend closure of Monseignor O'Brien Highway
August 4MBTA's GLX Community Working Group met with MBTA and Green Line Extension staff.
July 27 Green Line Transformation began a series of weekday closures of Museum Way between 7AM and 5PM.
July 24 Weekend closure of Monseignor O'Brien Highway
July 17 Weekend closure of Monseignor O'Brien Highway
July 10 Weekend closure of Monseignor O'Brien Highway
July 10 Weekend closure of Monseignor O'Brien Highway
July 7 MBTA's GLX Community Working Group met with MBTA and Green Line Extension staff. Click here to see the presentation and meeting minutes.
June 24 MBTA GLX team hosted a public meeting to update the public on the progress of the project and expected future construction locations. Click here to see presentation.
June 2 MBTA's GLX Community Working Group met with MBTA and Green Line Extension staff. Click here to see the presentation and meeting minutes.
Early June MBTA GLX team reopened Washington Street and Broadway in Somerville
May 24 MBTA began running a Green Line-replacement bus shuttle between Lechmere and North Station, using temporary exclusive bus lanes on Route 28.
May 23 MBTA closed the Green Line between Lechmere and North Station
Spring MBTA announced that the project schedule was under pressure, but, remained confident in opening the entire GLX by December 2021. GLX project team also confirmed that Green Line service would return to Lechmere and new service to Union Square would begin as early as May 2021.
2019
Early April The Green Line Extension project has closed two streets in Somerville that affect driving and bus routes to/from Cambridge.
2018
After some re-design and cost cutting measures to bring the project in line with the budget, and a successful re-bidding of the project, Green Line Extension began construction in phases. MBTA announced that service on the entire GLX was expected in late 2021.
2017
November 17, MBTA opened price proposals for the bidders, and recommended GLX Constructors for constructing the project. The winning bid was less than $1.1 billion and included all additive options: station canopies, art, additional elevators, full multi-use path connections, and an enhanced maintenance facility.
October 17, the MBTA filed a Notice of Project Change (NPC) for the one-mile extension of the Green Line along the MBTA Lowell Line commuter rail right-of-way from the currently planned terminus at College Avenue in Medford to Mystic Valley Parkway (Route 16) in Medford and Somerville. The NPC was noticed in the November 8, 2017 edition of the Environmental Monitor and a public meeting was scheduled for November 20, 2017. No funding source or timeline for project construction has been established yet.
2015
The MBTA put the Green Line Extension project on hold due to cost overruns