July Meeting recap

Last night, Carolyn Wood of the Green Line Adviosory Group for Medford(GLAM) gave a presentation to the committee about the status of the Green Line extension project. Currently, the project is still in the study phase, with Somerville favoring a fast track of the project to improve some of their more depressed areas(Inner Belt Road and Union Square stand to gain from project related developments). However, the breakup of the North-Point coalition - which was to fund a new Lechemere station as part of the project - has held things up recently.

Currently, the West Medford station has been taken off the table. Ball Square, College Ave(intersection of Boston Ave./Tufts University), and Rte. 16(by Uhaul) all remain on the table, with widening or tunnelling still being debated. Widening would be between 60 and 80 feet along the existing footprint, impacting properties abutting the commuter rail tracks today.

Some concern was expressed by committee members over potential impact of the project, which will be funded federally as the recent Station's Landing project was. If high-density complexes were to be placed in the neighborhoods of Medford, similar to the Station's Landing at Wellington, the population increase and commuter traffic could be significant.

However, the project is currently in the discovery phase at this time.

For more information;
GLAM:GLAM Homepage
Executive Office of Transportaion(EOT):Green Line Extension
MAGNA:MGNA: Medford Green Line Neighborhood Alliance

For minutes, information about the July meeting, or information about upcoming meetings, email the committee at MedfordGOP@gmail.com.