Today, at Somerville City Hall, the MBTA Board of Directors approved a contract for the final design of the Green Line Extension. The Board’s decision follows a critical piece of federal environmental approval from earlier this summer.

This means the long-promised Green Line Extension is one big step closer to becoming a reality, and that construction will “begin next month,” according to MassDOT Secretary Richard Davey.

As my friends and neighbors in Somerville are well aware, East Somerville is one of the most densely populated areas in the country to not be served by light rail. The Green Line Extension project will improve both air quality and traffic by making it easier to get around without a car, spur economic development throughout Somerville, and create new green space along a corridor from Davis Square to the Charles River. It’s a win-win-win for all of us, and that’s why I’ve been fighting for it since I first got to the State House.

The process of extending the Green Line from Lechmere into Somerville has been long and painstaking, and at times, I’ve shared my neighbors’ frustration over the project’s delays. But today’s meeting marks a major milestone and is cause for celebration. With this decision, the MBTA Board of Directors has made good on promises it made to Somerville and Cambridge years ago. Now, the hard work of construction begins, starting with the rehabilitation of three critical sites along the proposed Green Line Extension tracks.

As always, I’ll be pushing for the rapid construction of the Green Line Extension, and I’ll let you know about important developments here and on Twitter.