— Photo by Josie Grove

By Josie Grove

Somerville Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone, and Marc Draisen, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, met with press Friday morning to answer questions  related to yesterday’s joint announcement with the City of Cambridge regarding the communities’ expected combined contribution of $75 million (subject to Alderman and City Council approval), for the GLX.

Mayor Curtatone said his proposal to the board of aldermen is part of a “new paradigm” of funding large infrastructure projects. The “painful reality” is that cities will increasingly be asked to contribute.

He is optimistic that the MBTA boards will approve the redesigned GLX project on Monday, and said, “I’m more optimistic than I was even months ago.”