Part Of Green Line Extension Could Open Ahead Of Schedule

SOMERVILLE, MA — The much-anticipated Green Line extension into Somerville and Medford is expected to be fully completed by December, but part of the new rail system is slated to open ahead of schedule.

Officials plan to begin service on the Union Square branch in October, according to MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak's March 29 presentation on bringing transit systems back to pre-pandemic levels.

The Union Square branch has one stop and will be part of the Green Line D branch to Riverside Station in Newton. The longer leg of the extension, the six-stop Medford branch, will be part of the E branch to Heath Street in Jamaica Plain. That will open in December, according to the schedule shared by Poftak.

The schedule was reported Thursday by StreetsBlog, which shared an image of a new MBTA map that included the Green Line Extension at Ruggles station.

The $2.3 billion project extends the Green Line 4.7 miles from a relocated Lechmere Station to Union Square in Somerville and College Avenue in Medford.