By Rob Barry | Medford Transcript
It may not be long now before the Executive Office of Transportation (EOT) announces its recommendations for how the Green Line Project will be extended through Medford and Somerville.
Though the EOT is hesitant to give a specific date for the completion of the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR),
officials say it is likely to happen over the next few months. The report will be hundreds of pages and discuss in detail most aspects of the project.
During the past two months, the EOT has already released a number of completed sections of the document. The chapters released include results from studies on potential impacts to traffic, air quality, noise and vibration. Disability access and environmental justice issues have also been reported.
“Most of the stuff is fairly technical,” said Kate Fichter, the project’s deputy director. “It’s not policy or things people can
really take a stance on. From our perspective what we have to present is very positive. This project has many major benefits.”
In Medford, neighborhood groups are still pushing the EOT to clear up some perceived vague areas.
“The biggest remaining issue that the EOT has yet to address is the analysis of and recommendation for the terminus location,” said Ken Krause, a member of the Medford Green Line Neighborhood Alliance (MGNA) and a member of the Green Line Extension Advisory Group.
The EOT is weighing two options for an endpoint of the project: College Avenue and Route 16/Mystic Valley Parkway. The Green Line is mandated to go at least as far as College Avenue in Medford, but the path to Route 16 is under study as per the city’s request.
“My stance has always been the same,” said Mayor Michael J. McGlynn. “People need to remember that it was the city that asked the EOT to study the Green Line as far as Route 16.”
McGlynn said he liked the idea of the transit-oriented development that could potentially occur as a result.
“Unfortunately that all has gone unheeded repeatedly,” said McGlynn. “It was a disgrace that they said they might put a big parking garage there.”
Click here to read the full article in this week’s Medford Transcript.
