MGNA: Medford Green Line Neighborhood Alliance

It appears that the first phase of construction of the Green Line Extension to Somerville and Medford will not cost as much as anticipated.

The MBTA received nine bids for the Phase I work, which consists of the widening of two rail bridges and the demolition of a T storage building, and on average they were $1.6 million under the MBTA’s estimated cost of $16.733 million. Of the seven below-estimate bids received, the average bid was $2 million under the projected cost.

Barletta Heavy Division of Canton submitted the lowest bid, $12.989 million, or $3.74 million under the estimated cost. The next lowest bidders were LM Heavy Construction of Westford at $13.472 million ($3.26 million under), and MIG Corporation of Acton at $14.57 million ($2.18 million under).

Details of each of the bid responses are posted on the MBTA website, including a line-item comparison of each company’s estimate.

Phase I work will consist of three elements:

+ In Medford, the reconstruction and widening of the Harvard Street railroad bridge (New Hampshire/Lowell Line), retaining wall/noise barrier construction, track relocation, and ancillary utility and roadway improvements

+ In Somerville, the widening of the Medford Street railroad bridge (Fitchburg Line)

+ In Cambridge, the demolition of the MBTA-owned tire facility building at 21 Water Street

Ground-breaking on the project could take place this fall.

- Ken Krause, Medford Green Line Neighborhood Alliance

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation will kick off a series of statewide public meetings next week, engaging with residents, community leaders and business owners to discuss the future of transportation in the Commonwealth.

Legislation passed in August requires the Department to host at least six public meetings in advance of developing a long-term financing plan for the state’s transportation system next year. To ensure that all regions of the Commonwealth are represented, MassDOT will hold 15 meetings.

One of the meetings will be at the McGlynn Middle School, 3002 Mystic Valley Parkway in Medford, on Tuesday, November 27, from 6 to 8 p.m.

“Every person in the Commonwealth has a stake in our transportation system,” said MassDOT Secretary and CEO Richard A. Davey. “Whether someone drives, walks, takes public transit or rides their bike, there is rarely a day that goes by that they don’t interact with the system. These statewide discussions are intended to allow the users of our system to share their ideas, thoughts and proposals for improving and paying for our transportation network for many years to come.”

Representatives from each division of MassDOT – RMV, Highway, Aeronautics and MBTA/Rail and Transit – will be available to answer questions and provide information.

The first meeting will be held in Springfield on Thursday, September 27. An informational website for residents will be active on Thursday.

Those who are unable to attend the meetings but wish to submit comments can do so at yourvisionourfuture@dot.state.ma.us.

All meeting locations are accessible to people with disabilities. MassDOT provides reasonable accommodations and/or language assistance free of charge upon request (including but not limited to interpreters in American Sign Language and languages other than English, open or closed captioning for videos, assistive listening devices and alternate material formats, such as audio tapes, Braille and large print), as available.

For accommodation or language assistance, please contact MassDOT’s Chief Diversity and Civil Rights Officer by phone (617 973-7171), TTD/TTY (617-973-7715), fax (617-973-7311) or by email  MassDOT.CivilRights@dot.state.ma.us). Requests should be made as soon as possible prior to the meeting, and for additional services including sign-language, CART or language translation or interpretation, requests should be made at least ten (10) business days before the meeting.

The complete schedule of Transportation Conversation meetings is on this flyer.

Today at Somerville City Hall, the new MassDOT Board of Directors approved a contract for the final design of the Green Line Extension to Somerville and Medford.

The $45 million contract was awarded to a joint venture of AECOM Technical Services and HNTB Corporation.

AECOM this week also was awarded a contract to execute final design of a light-rail project in Denver. HNTB is supplying the engineering services for the introduction of a Positive Train Control system on the Green Line.

Construction on Phase I of the Green Line Extension project, which includes widening the rail bridge over Harvard Street in South Medford, will “begin next month,” according to Transportation Secretary Richard Davey.

Read more on State Rep. Tim Toomey’s website and in the Boston Herald, Somerville Patch and State House News Service.