One of the newest stretches of the MBTA's Green Line Extension will remain open through the summer, the office of Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey announced July 5.
The news comes less than one week after the transit agency said the portion of commuter rail line would need to close for six weeks amid construction on the Squires Bridge.
"The Healey- [Lt. Gov. Kim] Driscoll Administration is postponing construction on the Squire Bridge until September 2023," said Karissa Hand, a spokesperson of the governor, in a written statement. "Green Line service will not be suspended between Union Square and Lechmere from July 18 through Aug. 28."
The change of plans coincided with the first day of the nearly two-month Sumner Tunnel closure, which is expected to back up traffic throughout the Boston area. State transportation officials have been urging commuters to "ditch the drive" and turn to public transit instead.
The Squires Bridge is part of Mass. Highway 28/McGrath Highway, carrying six lanes of traffic on the busy roadway over the MBTA Green Line tracks.
WCVB-TV in Boston reported that in the last week of June, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) explained the work being done to the bridge — repairs to specific, localized areas of six steel beams that have deteriorated — necessitated that the agency cut power to the overhead lines that power the Green Line trolleys.
On July 5, though, the governor's office said another inspection of the bridge showed it was safe to delay the repairs.
"MassDOT crews inspected the bridge over the weekend and determined it is safe to delay repairs until September so that the closure does not occur at the same time as the Sumner Tunnel closure and to allow appropriate time to explore mitigation options and communicate with the public," Hand wrote.
State Officials Quickly Responded to Outcry Over Closure
Boston.com, an online service of the Boston Globe, reported that news of the impending 42-day closure drew concern and ire from those who live and work in the Somerville area, including state Reps. Mike Connolly, Christine Barber and Erika Uyterhoeven.
The lawmakers co-wrote a letter July 3 to MassDOT Secretary Gina Fiandaca, MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng and the MBTA board asking the state to consider delaying the repairs on the bridge.
The transit agency had been planning to let current buses handle would-be Green Line riders, but Connolly said he and his colleagues expressed doubts about that proposal and were concerned it would leave gaps in the service.
However, Boston.com noted that upon hearing of the delay in the Squires Bridge repairs, Connolly, a Democrat who represents Somerville and Cambridge, wrote on Twitter, "Thank you to the Healey-Driscoll Administration for responding to our advocacy in support of transit equity for Union Square. I am hopeful this extra time will give MassDOT and the MBTA an opportunity to improve the plans for the Squires Bridge repairs."
Hand said the feeling was mutual from the governor's office.
"The administration is grateful for the feedback we received from local officials and community members and will maintain close communication as we work to reschedule the [Squires] Bridge construction," she explained.
Both the MBTA and MassDOT echoed Hand's statement in a separate news release, adding that the two agencies will announce more information on the project "as plans are finalized and confirmed."
Another Work Site Will Become an Impediment
For riders who depend on the Green Line Extension, the six-week closure is not the only obstacle they will face, WCVB-TV reported July 5.
The MBTA said continued demolition of the Government Center Garage will mean Green Line service is suspended between North Station and Government Center Station for 12 days from Saturday, July 29 through Wednesday, Aug. 9.
Stations that will be impacted include Medford/Tufts, Ball Square, Magoun Square, Gilman Square, East Somerville, Union Square, Lechmere, Science Park/West End and North Station.
Riders are being encouraged by the MBTA to walk above ground between the stations.
"Government Center, Haymarket and North Station are each less than a half mile from each other [about a five- to 10-minute walk], and the distance between Government Center to North Station is about three-quarters of a mile [a 13-minute walk]," according to the MBTA news release.
The closure means that Green Line travelers looking to "ditch the drive" and utilize the Blue Line during the Sumner Tunnel work, as MassDOT has recommended, will be forced to walk on surface streets to make their connections.
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