Arlington residents have spent decades using buses or cars to reach the Red Line at Alewife. Now local and state officials are seeking to repeal a 1980 law that bars the MBTA from planning or building a Red Line extension farther into Arlington, according to WBUR News.
Three state lawmakers representing Arlington have introduced a bill to remove the restriction, WBZ NewsRadio 1030 reported. Repeal would not itself authorize construction, but it would remove the legal barrier to considering service beyond Alewife.
Growth and Gridlock Driving the Push
Arlington town members cited population growth and worsening traffic congestion as reasons to revisit the restriction, according to WBZ NewsRadio. Supporters argue that expanded transit could give residents another way to travel into Boston and reduce pressure on local roads.
Anthony Alves, co-owner of Ace Town Barbers, told WBZ NewsRadio that an extension could reduce commuting time, traffic and congestion around Arlington.
A precedent for state transit investment
A prior state capital plan shows that major MBTA expansion projects have received dedicated funding commitments. According to the Massachusetts FY2010-FY2014 Capital Investment Plan, the state identified $8.7 million for the Green Line Extension as part of its transit commitments. That record provides precedent for state investment, but it does not establish how long an Arlington extension would take to build or what it would ultimately cost.
Residents Weigh In on What a Red Line Extension Could Mean
Gianna, who lives about one mile from Alewife station, told the station she would use an Arlington extension to travel into and out of Boston. Another resident, Logan, also expressed support, according to the report.
The available reporting does not identify the bill's sponsors, its current status in the Legislature or the exact language of the 1980 law. It also does not include an MBTA response, feasibility study, proposed route or cost estimate. For now, the proposal is focused on removing the legal barrier that has prevented Red Line planning beyond Alewife for more than four decades.
