COMMUNITY PATH EXTENDING TO BOSTON

SOMERVILLE

– The Community Path is heading to Boston. Massachusetts Department of

Transportation Secretary and CEO Richard A. Davey announced today that the MBTA

will build an extension of the path along the future Green Line from Lechmere

Station to the forthcoming Lowell Street Station, connecting to the current

path and bringing the total length of Somerville’s bicycle and pedestrian path

to 2 miles.

Under

an agreement between the MBTA and the City of Somerville, the MBTA will first build

the path along the future Green Line from Lechmere Station to the forthcoming

Brickbottom Station at Washington Street as part of Phase II of the Green Line

Extension, which is scheduled for completion in late 2017 with the opening of

the new Lechmere, Brickbottom and Union Square stations.

As the Green Line Extension project continues, the MBTA and will

build the remaining stretch of the Community Path from Brickbottom Station to

the future Lowell Street Station. Last May, MassDOT began work on extending the

Community Path from Cedar Street to Lowell Street.

Once the Community Path is fully built, it will create a seamless

link from the Minuteman Bikeway to the Charles River paths, creating a 48-mile

continuous path network connecting 11 cities and towns in the Greater Boston

region. The Community Path will also provide emergency egress and a utility

corridor for the Green Line Extension.

“When

construction began last May on the Cedar Street to Lowell Street extension of

the Community Path, I said it was only the beginning and that we would extend

the path to Boston. That day is here thanks to the determination of so many,”

said Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone. “This project is about much more than biking

and walking. It’s about building a community and a region that is equitable,

connected and vibrant. When we create connections between neighborhoods and

communities, economic health follows as our squares thrive, local businesses

get busier and a resilient, self-sufficient economic base is built for our city

and the region. That is the connectivity and vibrancy that will also help us

bring back our historic neighborhoods like Brickbottom and Inner Belt.”

“Today’s announcement of funding for the GLX Community

Path further demonstrates our vision for the future of transportation in the

Commonwealth,” said Governor Deval Patrick. “Investment in transportation

infrastructure that provides better access to more healthy, sustainable and

cost-efficient options is necessary to continue to move Massachusetts forward.”

Bicycle infrastructure is an integral component of the Green

Line Extension, which upon completion will have 1,100 bicycle parking spaces

throughout the seven stations, including dedicated Pedal and Park enclosed

bicycle storage units that can be accessed using a Bike Charlie Card. Last June,

MassDOT agreed to fund a complete design of the Community Path from Lowell

Street to Lechmere as part of the Green Line Extension; previously, the design

ended at Inner Belt.

“MassDOT’s vision for sustainable, healthy, accessible

transportation has no better example than the commitment made to the GLX

Community Path made here today,” said Secretary Davey. “The Patrick

Administration’s continued investment in transportation infrastructure is key

to the future of transportation in cities and towns throughout the

Commonwealth, and I’m proud to be here in the City of Somerville today

celebrating what that will mean for its citizens.”

Somerville’s bike network has more than doubled under Mayor Curtatone’s

administration, bringing the city’s total to more than 30 liner miles of bike lanes

in a 4.1 square mile city, along with the installation of 75 new bike racks and

10 bike corrals. The City has also updated and added pedestrian safety

infrastructure such as street trees, curb bump-outs and ADA-accessible ramps

that make the city more walkable. Somerville is now the 7^th most

walkable city and the 9^th most

transit-friendly city in the nation, regardless of population size, according

the 2014 national Walk Score ratings, and a Silver Bicycle Friendly Community

according to The League of American Bicyclists, a designation the city earned

only two years after earning a Bronze level designation.