Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) was recently awarded a $100 million grant from U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for the Green Line Extension (GLX) light rail project.
The $2.3 billion 4.7-mile light rail line will run from Cambridge to Medford.
In 2015, MBTA signed a full-funding grant agreement with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The agreement provides $996 million in federal funding through the Capital Investment Grants Program. This month’s grant is the first installment under the program.
“FTA is proud to support the transportation needs of the greater Boston area by helping to extend rail service into some of its most densely populated communities,” FTA Deputy Administrator K. Jane Williams said. “The GLX project will provide improved mobility and expanded transit service to riders traveling throughout the MBTA system.”
MBTA is the nation’s fifth largest transit provider and New England’s largest provider based on ridership.
To receive the funds, MBTA was required to provide the FTA with a series of reviews to redesign the GLX project to cut costs without extending the project’s schedule.
The project is expected to include a new pedestrian/bike path, replacement or rehabilitation of eight bridges and six new light rail stations.
GLX is expected to open in January 2022.