After years of planning and numerous setbacks, Boston-area residents waiting on a much-anticipated expansion of public transit services finally saw a glimmer of progress. With public officials on hand for a shovel-wielding photo-op, workers broke ground on the MBTA’s Green Line extension project June 25 in Somerville. Participants of the groundbreaking ceremony included U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker and Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone.

Secretary Chao used the opportunity to announce another major milestone for the extension project: the release of a $225 million federal grant to the MBTA to assist with the Green Line expansion. It’s a welcome sign of federal support for a project that was once thought to be doomed, and has already spurred new residential development along the planned route through Somerville and Medford.

The grant marks the second installment of $996 million in federal transit funds earmarked for the project, but represents only a piece of the estimated total cost of the Green Line extension — around $2.3 billion. Officials expect the light rail line to serve an additional 75,000 people and reduce vehicle traffic by nearly 26,000 miles per day once it comes online in 2022.

While that might sound like a long time for residents to wait, it should be a welcome addition to the Boston public transit network, which was recently ranked the nation’s third-best by Redfin. Public transit availability has also boosted the walkability of many Boston areas, contributing to the widespread rise in demand for real estate around the city. As early as 2014, according to Curbed Boston, rents and prices in Somerville were increasing thanks to the proposed Green Line extension, and developers had a total of 2.3 million square feet of residential and commercial construction in the works as a result of transit-fueled demand in the area.