FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

You can submit your questions to help us understand what information would be beneficial for this page.  You can also Share Your Opinion on the study as well.  Please check back as we add further information to this page.

Why is the Commonwealth pursuing an extension of the Green Line to Somerville and Medford?
Decades of planning and analysis have demonstrated that the communities of Somerville and Medford could benefit from improved MBTA service.  The municipalities are densely populated, are home to low-income and other communities of concern, and with many residents traveling clearly defined routes into and out of downtown Boston – the sort of trips that the MBTA is able to serve well.  They also experience significant automobile congestion and degradation of air quality due to automobile traffic.  Among other problems, this makes it difficult for existing MBTA bus services to fully meet the needs of the traveling public, and it limits economic growth in some areas.  For all of these reasons, we believe that an extension of the Green Line will greatly benefit the municipalities of Somerville and Medford.

Has the route of the Green Line Extension been determined?  What about stations?
The route of the Green Line Extension has been broadly defined but not finalized.  The planning process currently underway will pinpoint appropriate locations for stations, and will define the end of the Medford branch of the Extension and the exact alignment of the Union Square spur.

What is a Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR)?
A DEIR is a state-level document that contains a description and detailed review of a proposed project.  It outlines potential benefits and possible adverse environmental effects, possible changes or mitigation that can reduce adverse effects, and possible alternatives or a set of alternatives.  It is prepared under regulations established by the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act administered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs.  After public review of the Draft EIR, any comments are addressed in a Final Environmental Impact Report.

What is a MEPA Certificate?
A so-called MEPA Certificate is issued by the Secretary of Energy & Environmental Affairs in response to an Environmental Notification Form – the first step in the state-level environmental review process – submitted by a project proponent (in the case of the Green Line Extension,  the Executive Office of Transportation and Public Works (EOTPW) is the project proponent).

What is EOTPW doing to expedite the completion of the Green Line Extension?
EOTPW is aware that the decision to seek federal ‘New Starts’ funding for the Green Line project has created concerns due to possible implications for the project schedule.  Where possible, we are considering possible opportunities and strategies to advance the project.  We have also met with the Federal Transit Administration to begin developing a ‘roadmap’ for the funding application, so we can move through that process as expeditiously as possible since it can be lengthy and complex.

What if New Starts funding doesn’t work out?
On November 29, 2007, the Patrick Administration filed a Transportation Bond Bill to seek authorization for state funding to cover whatever elements of the project are not funded by other sources.

Will the Green Line Extension increase the assessments paid to the MBTA by the cities of Cambridge, Somerville, and Medford?

All municipalities in the MBTA district are charged an assessment for the transit benefits they receive.  This assessment is based on population.  The assessment formula is not based on the amount of service your community receives and it will not change based on any increase in service to your community.   The only thing that will affect the assessment calculation is an increase in your city or town’s population. The total assessment charge to all communities can grow at not more than 2.5% per year. The only way that a community’s assessment can change significantly would be if the Legislature changed the law.  You can read the Assessment Formula in Chapter 161A, Section 9 available online here.

EOT was once studying a station at Winthrop Street.  Is that station still under consideration?

The project team originally evaluated three possible stations in the vicinity of College Avenue and Winthrop Street.  After a preliminary analysis of ridership, transit operations, bicycle and pedestrian access, land use compatibility, and cost, it was determined that this area only supported one station.  The team initially recommended locating the station in the College Avenue adjacent to Brookings Street.  Based on feedback from the community,  from  the Project Advisory Group and  from  the City of Medford, the proposed station was shifted approximately 700 feet south, away from the Brookings Street neighborhood.  Locating the single station in this area will serve ridership in the vicinity of College Avenue and Winthrop Street, and will provide operational advantages for the Extension as a whole.

Will the proposed headways for the Green Line Extension affect operations for the rest of the Green Line?

Where can I find out about upcoming meetings?

Please visit the Calendar.