New MBTA Green Line Extension Connects The Greater Boston Area
The addition has added convencience for Medford commuters.
February 12, 2023
At 4:45 AM on December 12th, 2022, Governor Charlie Baker cut the ribbon at the new Medford/Tufts stop opening the new Green Line Extension (GLX). Opening six more stops, the GLX creates E-Line service north of Lechmere Station and enables passengers to ride from downtown Park Street to their homes in Somerville, Cambridge, and Medford. “The Green Line extension has been a long time coming. It’s going to be so much more convenient and accessible to get around the Greater Boston Area,” says Amy Zhou, a junior at CRLS. The trains are expected to run every five to six minutes during peak hours, providing service to areas that previously had no access to public transit. Baker says he hopes that “the Green Line Extension will have a transformational impact … by providing the region with access to important public transit.”
The Green Line is the oldest subway line in North America, having opened in 1897. More than 88,000 passengers ride the Green Line every weekday. In 1991, facing a lawsuit over Big Dig pollution, the state agreed to multiple projects. The Green Line Extension was then a natural choice, having been in the works for decades through many different versions and changes. Yet, it took 14 years for the MBTA to finally come to an agreement for the GLX in 2005, and another 12 to award the contract in 2017. When officials formally broke ground on the project on June 25th, 2018, Somerville’s mayor at the time, Joseph Curtatone, stated he was elated that the project was finally happening after years of uncertainty. Despite delays and plan changes, the first portion of the extension—from Park Street to Union Square—officially opened on March 21st, 2022.
From the beginning, the project has been intended to ameliorate the physical and human environment. Leaders and supporters hope to significantly reduce vehicle trips and related air emissions that are damaging the planet. The train will also grant many people the opportunity to get around—without polluting—in ways they never were able to before. Staci Rubin, Vice President of Environmental Justice at the Conservation Law Foundation, called the opening of the Green Line Extension “a victory 32 years in the making.” The resulting changes will help Boston in its process of becoming a more economically sustainable and beneficial city. As US Senator Edward Markey (D-MA) has stated, “the Green Line Extension is a critical step toward a Green New Deal future in Greater Boston.”
The Green Line extension will create new opportunities for many citizens of the Boston area. The 4.3 new miles are what planners and train fans have imagined for over 30 years. A popular train fan on TikTok named Jed (@jeddeo1) even said there was no way he would rather spend his day than riding the Green Line extension. The dream of GLX is a reality at last.
This article also appears in our January 2023 print edition.
