The long-awaited Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) Green Line Extension reached campus last night - in the form of a debate, at least.
Government, university and transportation officials met with local residents in a packed Sophia Gordon Hall multipurpose room yesterday night to discuss potential locations for the Green Line's extension into Somerville.
The conversation centered on the possible construction of stations on College Avenue and Winthrop Street. As an alternative, the stations may also be combined into one located roughly behind Dowling Hall.
The meeting started with a presentation by Kristine Wickham, the project manager from the firm Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc., which the MBTA chose to head the extension. A brief question-and-answer session followed the presentation, after which members of the public could walk around the room and speak with officials.
Officials said the project will use the existing commuter train track that runs under the College Avenue underpass next to Tufts' Curtis Hall, the building that houses Brown and Brew. Construction will involve laying two more sets of track for the Green Line trains and building train stations.
"We're here for people to give us as much input as possible," said Kate Fichter, the deputy project manager for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Transportation.
Designs currently call for the construction of a center platform with access from the overpasses of cross streets, such as the College Avenue bridge. But specifications such as platform design or how to get down from the overpass to the stations have not been worked out.
The exact locations of the stations, or even how far the line will be extended, are still up for debate. Possible endpoints include the Mystic Valley Parkway, College Avenue or even Ball Square, in which case the Green Line would virtually run onto Tufts' campus.
Tufts officials support the extension of the Green Line to College Avenue. "We think it's a great project," said Barbara Rubel, director of community relations for Tufts and member of the project's advisory committee. "We'd love to have a Green Line stop."
Last night's meeting was one of seven public meetings that Green Line extension project organizers are holding this winter. Each meeting focuses on different locations along the line.
Not everyone was as enthusiastic about the project as Rubel. Several residents had concerns about various issues, such as the construction of an eleven-acre maintenance facility accompanying the project, the increase in traffic that those driving to the stations could cause and the potential for "land-taking" through eminent domain.
"Whether you're for [the extension] or against it, both sides share concerns for the negative impact," said Kenneth Krause, a member of the Medford Green Line Neighborhood Alliance. He went on to say that issues such as traffic are a common concern.
But Krause emphasized that whether or not everyone agrees with the project, it is coming.
Governor Deval Patrick recently submitted a bond bill to the Massachusetts legislature to fund the project, whether or not it receives federal support.
The idea of extending the Green Line into Somerville and Medford has been floating around since the 1960s. The project gained momentum after litigations were filed during the "Big Dig," Boston's highway construction project.
As with many construction projects, the Green Line extension's completion date has been pushed back. It was once 2011 but is now 2014. Patrick has vowed to make sure the project is not further delayed.
The meetings have already made headway. In a meeting on Tuesday dealing with the Ball Square station, residents strongly opposed one proposed location for the station.
A similar meeting will be held on campus in March after station locations are affirmed, and the actual station design will be discussed.
