Thu April 15, 2021 - Northeast Edition
StreetsBlogs Mass
The Green Line Extension under construction next to a Lowell Line commuter rail train, seen from the Cross Street overpass in East Somerville on Oct. 1, 2020. (Mass.Streetsblog.org photo)
On March 31, President Biden outlined a proposal for a $2.25 trillion American Jobs Plan, a sweeping stimulus package designed to rebuild the nation s infrastructure, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote affordable access to opportunity.
The plan includes more than $115 billion for roads and bridges, along with spending $85 billion for transit services and $80 billion on intercity rail.
Many details remain to be worked out through negotiations and debates in Congress, but here is a quick look at what that kind of money could buy for Massachusetts:
The station downtown will remain closed until further notice after recent inspections revealed that winter weather-related impacts have resulted in deteriorating conditions on the platform and other areas, an MBTA spokesman said Friday.
Wicked Local
With use of the MBTA down since the pandemic started, the MBTA has announced a significant rollback in services across Greater Boston as part of its Forging Ahead plan, leading to several bus routes in Arlington either being suspended or reduced.
The changes to service in Arlington include:
Suspend service on Route 79 (Arlington Heights to Alewife Station)
Suspend service on Route 80 (Arlington Center to Lechmere Station), contingent upon completion of the Green Line Extension
Consolidate Routes 78 & 84 (Arlmont Village to Harvard Station and Arlmont Village to Alewife Station)
Consolidate Routes 62 & 76 (Bedford VA Hospital to Alewife Station and Hanscom Air Force Base to Alewife Station)
Alexander Thompson / somerville@wickedlocal.com
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority officials announced that the Green Line Extension is 62% complete and on track to be open for business on schedule by December 2021 at virtual public meeting on Dec. 9.
“We’re far into the construction, and we’ve actually already begun the testing and commissioning piece,” GLX program manager John Dalton said. “Things are certainly moving along.”
Staying safe during COVID
As with everything else, the GLX project has had to adapt to the challenges presented by the pandemic.
As of Dec. 8, 21 GLX workers have tested positive for the novel coronavirus since the beginning of the pandemic, according to Dalton. That is on a project that regularly involves 650 workers a day.