On Sunday, March 6 at approximately 10:00 a.m., the MBTA will conduct an emergency response drill involving a Green Line train between the newly built Lechmere and Union Square Stations. Local and regional media outlets are expected to cover this drill.

While the exercise is scheduled from approximately 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., surrounding neighbors can expect heightened activity in the area starting as early as 7:00 a.m. There will be regular Sunday service on the Green Line with no impacts to Green Line service. This exercise will take place in the area that is being constructed as part of the Green Line Extension (GLX) project. 

The learning exercise will include a scenario in which a train is traveling outbound between Lechmere Station on the Union Square Branch. In the simulated exercise, the train is traveling faster than the posted speed and makes contact with the train directly in front of it and derails before coming to a stop. Several passengers are injured, and others must evacuate the train. The exercise is designed to establish a learning environment for public safety officials to exercise emergency response plans, policies, and procedures as they pertain to a mass casualty event on a Green Line train on a new section of the viaduct. To ensure an effective exercise, subject matter experts and representatives from numerous agencies took part in the planning process and will take part in the exercise conduct and evaluation.

Agencies participating in this exercise include MBTA Operations, MBTA Transit Police, Cambridge Fire Department (CFD), Somerville Fire Department (SFD), and Medford Fire Department (MFD).

For more detailed information on GLX, visit Mass.gov/GLX or email us at info@glxinfo.com.