Washington Street Bridge/Underpass near McGrath Highway to reopen May 31; Broadway Bridge in Ball Square scheduled to reopen first week of June

The Green Line Extension (GLX) project announced that the Washington Street Bridge/Underpass near McGrath Highway in East Somerville is expected to permanently reopen on May 31. The Broadway Bridge in Ball Square is expected to reopen shortly thereafter during the first week of June. Both bridges were closed in the spring of 2019 and completely reconstructed to advance the GLX project.

At Washington Street, the roadway underpass will reopen with 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.

MBTA bus routes 86, 91, and CT2, which have been diverted around the closure, are expected to revert to their original routes soon after the underpass reopens. The MBTA will post signage and more information when it’s available.

At Broadway, the bridge will initially reopen with one travel lane in each direction. During this early stage, temporary accessible sidewalks and bike lanes will be installed on one side of the bridge allowing bike/pedestrian travel in both directions at all times.

MBTA bus routes 80 and 89, which have been diverted around the closure, are expected to revert to their original routes shortly after the bridge reopens. The MBTA will post signage and more information when it’s available.

Final surface restorations are expected to be completed this summer. At that time, the bridge will include permanent pavement markings with two travel lanes in each direction, in addition to finished sidewalks and bike lanes on each side of the bridge. 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 be constructed from Boston Ave.

The city recognizes these long-term closures were disruptive for many in the community and is grateful to all for their patience and perseverance during construction. The long-awaited GLX will bring seven new T stations to the region and extend the Somerville Community Path to North Point Park, near the Charles River in Cambridge. It will put 85% of Somerville residents within a half-mile of a subway stop and add almost 11 miles of new drainage infrastructure. It’s expected to reduce traffic, improve air quality, and foster economic development. For more information, visit www.Mass.gov/GLX.