Work clearing the way for the future Union Square MBTA Green Line Station begins this month, with a goal of removing contaminated soil, demolishing existing buildings and restoring the property to a smooth finish by the start of winter. During this work, traffic will be impacted in the area.

For the Green Line project to remain on schedule, environmental remediation work must be completed this year. That begins on Monday, Sept. 29, with the removal and replacement of contaminated soils from the former Kiley Barrel Company property, an EPA designated Brownfield site which is the approximately 32,000-square foot area on the northwest corner of the site identified as the D-2 parcel in the Union Square Revitalization Plan (bound by the existing commuter rail tracks, Prospect St., Somerville Ave. and homes on Allen St.).

Clearing Contaminated Soil

From 1951 through 1989, the Kiley Barrel Company cleaned, refurbished and distributed drums containing both chemical and bakery products, and the Somerville Redevelopment Authority purchased the property in 2002. Cleanup of the property will be supervised by TRC Environmental Corporation at a cost of approximately $3 million, with the cost of the work entirely covered by grants to the City of Somerville from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and MassDevelopment. Excavated contaminated soil will be taken to approved landfills in New Hampshire and replaced with clean soil.

Environmental engineers working for the MBTA have already completed initial test borings on a portion of the future Green Line Station site, and testing of those soils is underway as the MBTA undertakes any necessary remediation on its property.

Demolition of Existing Buildings

As the cleanup work continues, demolition of the existing buildings and foundations will prepare the property for future development by the city’s master developer partner, Union Square Station Associates (US2). In the meantime, the property will be restored to a smooth finish making it suitable for public uses while the planning process for the Union Square project continues. S&R Corporation of Lowell has entered a $699,000 contract with the city to complete the demolition and restoration work, following a request for proposals issued earlier this year. Once demolition of the actual buildings on the D-2 parcel commences, it is anticipated that work can be completed in approximately thirty days.

Traffic Plan in Place During Work

These long-awaited projects will take approximately three months, with a goal of completion by mid-December. During this time, traffic will be impacted in the area. On weekdays, trucks will arrive on site from Somerville Ave. no earlier than 6:30 a.m. and will be turned off before 7 a.m. Loading and unloading at the site can begin after 7 a.m., but trucks will not start leaving the site nor will soil excavation begin until 8:30 a.m. each day. Two police details will be used when there are trucks arriving and leaving, with one officer at the Somerville Ave. entrance to the site and another officer at the Prospect and Bennett St. intersection.

For more information about this work, contact City of Somerville Senior Economic Planner Amanda Maher at 617-625-6600 ext. 2528 or amaher@somervillema.gov.