State finalizing application for federal funds for Green Line
The state Department of Transportation renewed its commitment to securing federal funding for the Green Line Extension today, pledging to formally initiate the New Starts application process by the end of the month.
“This is an exciting next step in the construction of this important transit investment, which is a legal commitment entered into by the Commonwealth,” said MassDOT spokesman Colin Durrant in an e-mail.
The New Starts program, which is the federal government’s primary financial resource for supporting major transit projects, funds new and existing fixed guideway systems including commuter rail, light and heavy rail, bus transit, streetcars and ferries.
In order to proceed with the application process, the MBTA will formally remove the Silver Line Phase III project in Boston from funding consideration. The final phase of the project involves the construction of a 1-mile tunnel to connect two existing Silver Line bus routes. Earlier this year, the Silver Line Phase III was taken off the 20 year funding plan – known as the Regional Transportation Plan – making it ineligible for funding.
Read this article on Boston.com.
