Burhan Azeem hears you. More is possible, and he’s running for State Senate to improve your quality of life, not just maintain it. As a three-term Cambridge city councilor and now vice mayor, Burhan has brought an engineer’s eye to political problem-solving, and he’ll do the same to fight for you on Beacon Hill. Here’s what he’ll get done and how.
Somerville fought for decades to get the Green Line Extension, and now we should let more people live near it. Vacant and underutilized industrial lots mere steps from the East Somerville, Gilman Square, and Magoun Square stations can instead be housing. He’ll also push to legalize single-stair apartments so that the narrow lots common in Somerville can support new homes for families.
The McGrath Highway separates East Somerville with concrete. Local advocates convinced MassDOT to replace the elevated highway with an improved ground-level boulevard, providing safer crossings, protected bike lanes, better bus stops, and trees. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2028. Burhan won’t take credit for the project, but he’ll make sure the state actually delivers it. He’ll use Senate oversight and the transportation budget to hold MassDOT accountable to its schedule and promises.
The Fitchburg Line of the commuter rail tracks run through Somerville but do not make any stops there. Somerville residents are left with diesel train exhaust but no commuter rail access. Electrifying the commuter rail removes that exhaust, decreases acceleration time, and enables infill stations such as one at Union Square. Burhan will advocate for the Fitchburg Line to be a Regional Rail corridor like the Fairmount Line, using the battery electric multiple unit (BEMU) procurement the MBTA is already developing.
The Somerville Community Path can lead to more than just East Cambridge. The planned Grand Junction Path would connect it to the Charles River through Mid-Cambridge, further connecting Somerville to Cambridge and Boston while preserving potential future rail options. But design work is currently stalled over disagreements with the MBTA. Burhan will push MassDOT and the MBTA to resolve those issues, finish the missing path connection, and protect potential future regional transit.