Lechmere Station will be receiving several upgrades as part of
the Green Line Extension plan. Overall, this billion dollar project
will involve having the current Massachusetts Bay Transportation
Authority (MBTA) building located at 21 Water Street to be torn
down, the new Lechmere Station to be relocated across Monsignor
OBrien Highway, and the construction of a new viaduct to allow
access that will connect with Union Square in Somerville.
This development is due to get underway in the new year around
the summer and fall months and should be completed by 2017.
Moreover, the expansion to allow additional routes to Somerville that will
open up to College Avenue is estimated to only be completed by
2019. Taking a step back and understanding the reasoning behind
this massive investment shows how dedicated the MBTA and the
Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) really are to
the community and improving the lives of many by making transport
far more efficient. Moreover, another way in which this project is
benefiting the people of The Greater Boston Area is that there will
be a renaming of the Monsignor OBrien Highway to become the
Monsignor OBrien Boulevard. The hope is that this will create a far
better pedestrian feel.
Tom OBrien, representing the HYM Investment Group, is a man
heavily involved in the project and will be in partnership with
others on the North Point development for residential and
commercial space that will neighboring the new Lechmere Station.
This idea will first move North First Street south which will allow
a more fluent pass for individuals crossing the Monsignor OBrien
Boulevard. In addition, an MBTA plaza will be built that will
feature lovely retail opportunities, a public market, outdoor cafes
and other restaurants and attractions.
So far a meeting has taken place last week at the
Kennedy-Longfellow School located in East Cambridge on the 14th of
December. About 50 residents of Cambridgeand
Somerville were
present at the event and found out a great deal about the updated
plans and visual proposals for what the completed developments will
look like. It is all very exciting for the area and most of the
residents are really taking to the idea, including the changing of
the name of Monsignor OBrien Highway. There is going to be another
meeting following up on the progression the developers are making
on topics such as the Washington and Union Stations and the
beginning phases of bridgework. This will be held sometime in the
middle to later part of January, 2012, a location however, has yet
to be released.
More Information: Wicked Local