Green Line advocates and opponents huddle to discuss issues surrounding the extension in Medford. - Photo by Andrew Firestone

Public forum discusses hopes, concerns

By Andrew Firestone

While Somerville has lobbied near unanimously for the extension of the Green Line past Lechmere station, Medford residents have been slower to embrace the project.

In the first of several public meetings, the MBTA, the Office of Public Collaboration of UMass and the City of Somerville teamed up to address concerns the citizens of neighboring Medford had of bringing the Green line to their city.

While Medford has largely been on edge about the extension of the Green Line, the program was designed to properly gauge public concerns about the green line and debate their various options.

The meeting involved around 100 people at the Brooks Elementary School in Medford who brought their concerns and ideal uses for the proposed extension, ranging from land use to gentrification. The crowd broke up into groups in order to explain their concerns to a moderating representative.

“I feel that the space is too small for what they are proposing to do,” said Medford resident Rita Donnelly. “I want my neighborhood to stay a neighborhood. I lived in Davis Square when the Red Line came and the people who grew up in Davis Square do not live in Davis Square anymore.”

The meeting was used by the Office of Transportation Planning to input strategy on how to properly proceed with the long delayed project, according to Kate Fichter of the Office of Transportation planning. The proposed extension would allow Medford and Somerville Residents access to the Green Line through Lechmere station in Cambridge.

At least one attendee blasted the continued resistance for a T stop in Medford, saying it had no basis. “I just don’t think that at all,” said Al Peterson. “It’s just some political decision that has no relevance to use somehow, it’s very strange.”

While the extension hopes to be implemented by 2015, the people of Medford still have multiple meetings over the next several months until the proposed portion of the track can begin design.