Green Line Extension Opening Delayed

MEDFORD, MA — The opening of both branches of the Green Line Extension into Somerville and Medford has been delayed as project managers grapple with supply chain issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The revised schedule now puts the opening of the one-stop branch to Somerville's Union Square – originally slated for October – in December. The longer branch, which runs through Somerville into Medford, is now expected to open in May 2022, five months behind the original schedule.

"There always has been schedule pressure...that was only exacerbated by COVID-19," project manager John Dalton said at a Fiscal Management and Control Board meeting Monday.

The project is about 80 percent complete, but Dalton said the remaining 20 percent is "not something we're on cruise control to tackle." This stage will include the remaining construction, payment installation and testing of trains.

Project officials have ramped up nighttime work on the project to offset supply chain issues during the pandemic.

The revised schedule was part of a settlement agreement with project team GLX Constructors that was approved by the Board Monday. The agreement allocates up to $80 million in contingency funding to protect the MBTA from potential liability and cover any additional costs.

The project is currently more than $300 million under budget, meaning the cities of Somerville and Cambridge could get fully reimbursed for the $75 million they contributed to the project, officials said.