I am pressed for time and can’t fully post on this, but I thought it noteworthy. In his newsletter to constituents, Mike Capuano made some comments on the Green Line Extension. I can’t link to it because it’s from an e-mail.
Transportation Green Line Extension
Much of my efforts this year focused on transportation. The Green Line Extension (GLX) captured quite a few headlines, not all of them good. 2015 began with the announcement that the federal government would contribute close to $1 billion toward construction of the GLX. My work on this project began long before taking office as a Representative in Congress. It has been a priority since I was Mayor of Somerville. Persuading the federal government to partially fund the GLX was crucial because the state could not take on such an expensive project alone. The New Starts award was the culmination of years of hard work and it was very welcome news – particularly in light of the current climate in Washington. $150 million for the GLX was included in the omnibus appropriations bill that passed last month, representing the first payment of New Starts money.
More recently, Massachusetts transportation officials announced that their original budget for this project was inadequate and much more money would be needed for the GLX. State transportation officials are exploring ways to bring down the cost, including making changes to the project.
Walking away from the GLX is simply not an option. This project is a legal obligation resulting from the Big Dig and has already been affirmed by the court. Furthermore, the $1 billion in federal funds committed to this project will go to another state if the GLX is not built. Those funds come from the Federal Transit Administration’s New Starts program. Legally, Massachusetts cannot use the money for anything other than the GLX. The state simply cannot leave $1 billion in federal transportation money on the table.
I must have confidence that the state will not walk away from this large amount of federal funding that was so hard to come by. The project may take longer and the stations may not be as fancy, but I strongly believe the GLX will be built. I stand ready to continue offering any assistance I can and will keep pushing as hard as I can for transportation equity. We all look forward to hearing more from the state in the weeks and months ahead.
mike_cote says
we shall see what will come of this.