Green Line Extension To Reopen 2 Major Somerville Bridges

SOMERVILLE, MA – The Green Line Extension project will permanently reopen two major bridges in Somerville over the next two weeks. The MBTA said Thursday the Washington Street bridge/underpass near McGrath Highway in East Somerville will reopen May 31 and the Broadway bridge in Ball Square will reopen during the first week of June.

Both bridges were closed in spring 2019 and completely rebuilt to allow for construction of the GLX. At Washington Street, the roadway underpass will immediately reopen to its full capacity of one travel lane in each direction. A temporary pedestrian sidewalk will be open on one side of the roadway until final surface restoration is complete.

Work will continue overhead on the elevated track level during this phase. Permanent pavement, finished sidewalks on both sides, lighting, and street markings will be completed this summer.

The Broadway Bridge will initially reopen with one travel lane in each direction. During this early stage, temporary accessible sidewalks and bicycle lanes will be installed on one side of the bridge allowing pedestrian and bicycle travel in both directions at all times. Final surface restorations are expected to be completed this summer, at which point the bridge will include permanent pavement markings with two travel lanes in each direction and finished sidewalks and bicycle lanes on each side.

When the future Ball Square Station – now under construction – is complete, the bridge will feature a fully accessible entrance to the station platform from the bridge sidewalk via an elevator and staircase. A second at-grade entrance will also be built from Boston Avenue.

Work on the Medford Street bridge in Gilman Square is progressing with completion scheduled for fall 2020. The new design for this bridge calls for an additional span to be added at the south abutment in order to accommodate new Green Line tracks below.

The School Street bridge in Gilman Square will remain closed until spring 2021. This closure will help widen the rail corridor beneath the bridge to accommodate GLX tracks and the construction of a future Gilman Square Station entrance along the bridge span.

Pedestrian access across the School Street bridge will be maintained throughout the duration of construction.