Green Line Extension Plan Gets Tentative Federal Approval

Boston, MA - Pared-back plans to extend the Green Line through Somerville to Medford got the federal nod of approval needed to proceed Friday -- tentatively, at least.

Still missing is a definitive plan to cover all of the $300 million-above-budget project. In addition, the Federal Transit Authority must do additional analysis before formally endorsing the redesign, including a look at handicap accessibility.

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Over the past few years, the GLX projet has stalled and, in that time, ballooned to more than $1 billion above its initial, $2 billion budget. A scaled-back version of the project released earlier this month cut costs to $2.3 billion -- low enough to receive tentative approval from joint Mass. Bay Transit Authority and state Department of Transportation boards.

It was approved on the condition that the federal government, which is providing grants for a portion of the project, give its blessing to the new, scaled-back plan. The FTA offered a positive sign Friday.

In a letter reported by Boston.com, FTA New England administrator Mary Beth Mello wrote that her "preliminary view" of the scaled-back project suggests it would provide the same benefits as the original proposal.

“FTA must now undertake a comprehensive review of the revised costs, schedule, project management plan, and financial plans, the risks inherent in the redesigned project, and the technical capacity of the MBTA project management team,” Mello wrote, according to the news site.

Per to the boards' decision earlier this month, work on a new finance plan and project management system is already underway.

>> Proposed GLX photo courtesy MBTA