Over the course of this public comment period, I have heard from hundreds of constituents in the 26th Middlesex District. I have also been consulting with MassDOT, Mayor Curtatone's office, The Cambridge City Manager's office, my colleagues, and a variety of community and environmental organizations to determine the best way to bring the Green Line Extension to Cambridge and Somerville.
The important points:
- Option L for the maintenance facility, not Yard 8 - As I have put forward in a previous post, the decision of where to place a maintenance facility is extremely important to the future development in East Somerville. Yard 8, the current preferred alternative from MassDOT, is an unacceptable option. Instead of placing the facility next to the Brickbottom Artists residence, the facility should be placed next to the existing Boston Engine Terminal as described in Option L.
- Increased pedestrian access - Both the new Lechmere station and Brickbottom should have safe alternatives for pedestrian access. "The relocation of Lechmere station across the McGrath/O’Brien Highway to the Northpoint parcel means that thousands of commuters from East Cambridge will now be required to cross a major, multi-lane highway to access the Green Line. It is imperative that the protection of these commuters is a top priority for the Commonwealth, and that we ensure that pedestrian access from the south of McGrath is consistently and reliably safe."
- Additional mitigation for Glass Factory residents - "Additional planning and mitigation also needs to be considered for the residents of the Glass Factory Condos, where the elevated track will run within feet of their windows."
Click for full pdf
