MBTA Announces Green Line Extension Opening Schedule Revisions

Today the MBTA announced revisions to the opening of the Union Square Branch of the Green Line Extension (GLX).

Due to challenges reaching productivity targets for the completion of the project’s first traction power substation as well as other key construction and testing activities, the Union Square Branch will open in March 2022. The MBTA continues to work with GLX Constructors (GLXC) leadership to review the Medford Branch schedule to address these productivity challenges and any associated timeline changes.

“Senior MBTA and GLX leadership are working closely with GLXC to bring this project to fruition on this updated timetable,” said MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak. “We’re strongly committed to GLX and very close to safely bringing extended Green Line service into Somerville and Medford.”

“We are disappointed that the schedule has had to be adjusted, but GLXC is dedicated to working with our MBTA partners to complete this project by March,” said Thomas Nilsson, president of Fluor’s Infrastructure business line and a GLXC board member. “We are committed to providing MBTA Green Line passengers with a quality, safe, and affordable mode of transportation for decades to come.”

Traction power substations provide electric power to operate Green Line trains along GLX. While work has been proceeding, the project encountered productivity challenges in completing the electrical work for GLX’s first traction power substation. As the project finishes some remaining work within the substation, functional testing of the electrical and communication components of the system is well underway.