Governor makes plans for Blue Line

LYNN – Gov. Deval Patrick this week made good on a 2006 campaign commitment by including planning money for the Blue Line in a multi-billion dollar transportation spending package.The package is one of the biggest spending initiatives rolled out this year by Patrick as he completes his first year in office. It includes $100 million for planning, design, permitting and engineering for several projects, including the Blue Line extension to Lynn.”I think it’s very positive it is one of two or three projects the administration has chosen to take a look at,” state Sen. Thomas M. McGee said.Patrick included money for the project in his transportation bill five months after Congress authorized $2 million to continue federal funding of the extension.The House authorization reflects the ongoing federal commitment to make good the 50 year-plus initiative to link Lynn and Boston by subway. It represents a small share of the money needed to fund a project that one year ago was estimated to cost over $357 million.Local elected and business officials call the Blue Line an economic link to Boston and a way to build on downtown Lynn’s residential and commercial resurgence.Edward M. Grant, speaking on behalf of the Lynn Business Partnership, and U.S. Rep. John Tierney in July expressed confidence in Patrick’s support for the Blue Line.Proposed routes include the Eastern Route following the commuter rail line to Lynn and the former narrow gauge tracks nearer to the coastline.Construction dates range from four years at the earliest to 2017.The Blue Line has been stuck on the drawing board by changes in available state and federal money to pay for the project. Tierney and local legislators have renewed federal and state funding commitments year after year for the project, but it has never made it to the top of a state transportation construction list.