East Somerville
East Somerville is the most southern stop on the final phase of the two branch Green Line Extension to open on December 12, 2022. The station is at a bit unusual of a location with its main access and all access being from the Somerville Community Path, a multi-use rail trail that is parallel to the Green Line tracks it this area. Along the northern end of the platform, the MBTA Commuter Rail Lowell Line curves onto the Green Line ROW that the green line follows all the way to Medford/Tufts.
The station itself has a single fully canopied island platform for the two track line. There is a single exit from the platform at the southern end of the platform, here a short exposed walkway leads to two CVMs directly in front of an ancillary building between the two tracks, there are also some exposed benches.
To leave the entrance area, there is a grade crossing over the Inbound track that leads to the Somerville Community Path. This station entrance along a gap in the fence with a rolling gate, next to a Pike and Pedal enclosed Bike Parade. On the opposite side of the entrance is a bench next to a plaque on a from the GLX Program Management Team and GLX-constructors. The plaque honors the memory of Steve Taylor, Marcus Ehrhart, Larry Williamson, Jimmy Green, and Edward Sierakowski who were deeply involved in the Green Line construction project but died of causes unrelated to the construction before the extension opened.
To actually, reach local streets and not just a bike path, there is a long 650 foot basically entrance path that is paved like a bike path with a dashed yellow line in the middle of it and made of asphalt. This leads down to the south side of Washington Street right under the bridges of the Commuter Rail tracks, Green Line tracks, and the continuing Somerville Community Path. At this entrance are a couple of T roundels to indicate go up this path to reach the T stop.
The closest entrance to the South I believe is not for a good half-mile south to Morgan Avenue, as the path goes over the junction where the one-stop Union Square branches off the line north to Medford, along with the new Inner Belt Carhouse that was built as part of the Green Line Extension project.
The station’s artwork is Domino Frame in Tension by Nader Tehrani with pictures on the artwork along the platform.
Photos 1-34: June 21, 2024
Gilman Square