Take a Ride On the Green Line Extension Before It’s Even Built
The same week that President Barack Obama announced that he would include federal funding in his budget for the state’s Green Line Extension project through Somerville and Medford, officials from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation put out a virtual tour of what riders can expect to see when they finally board the new trains along the light rail tracks in 2019.
The virtual ride along the Green Line Extension shows an operator’s view of the route starting at the new Lechmere Station in Cambridge , and heading north to Medford. “Enjoy the virtual ride,” officials said.
Leaks of the video were first posted last month, after someone that attended a public hearing about the updates to the Green Line Extension project recorded the presentation and shared it online.
The official video release by MassDOT officials comes at a time when Obama—who happened to be in Boston the same day—said he had put aside some extra cash for the long-awaited project. The President’s latest budget proposal included $100 million in fiscal year 2015 for the project, and “paves the way for agreement with the federal government for greater support over the next several years,” MassDOT officials said in a statement.
“I thank President Obama and his administration for recognizing the critical importance of completing the Green Line Extension,” said Governor Deval Patrick. “This historic commitment of federal New Starts Program funds, when matched with state contributions, will fulfill a promise made during construction of the Central Artery Project and complete the long-awaited extension of rail service to Somerville and Medford.”
MassDOT has already started working on the the Green Line Extension, and bridge and roadway upgrades are currently underway in Somerville and Medford. Major utility relocation and site preparation work is scheduled to begin later this year with full construction commencing in the spring of 2015. The entire project is expected to cost upwards of $1.2 billion.
