Green Line Extension Costs Approved By Federal Government

BOSTON (CBS) – The MBTA's $2.3 billion Green Line extension project got a big boost from the federal government Tuesday.

The Federal Transit Administration approved the T's revised cost estimate for the project to extend the line into Somerville and Medford.

The MBTA was initially given a $1 billion federal grant for the five-mile extension, which would create seven new T stations.

But the sky-rocketing projected costs put the brakes on the proposal for a year.  That prompted the T to scale down the project. The revised version then had to be reviewed by the FTA in order to keep the grant.

Once a design team is selected in the fall, work could begin on the extension next spring.