The T to extend hours

Boston has been clamoring for T changes for quite awhile now and, (hopefully) the Department of Transportation will be making those changes in the near future. Every student’s dream has finally come true: late night T rides back home on the weekends instead of travelling the distance by foot. Finally! No longer will you have to leave the party early so that you can catch the train.

What will a late-night T mean for Boston's many college students?/PHOTO VIA bostinno.com

What will this do for Boston? Personally, I think it will mean a huge boost for the quality of Boston’s nightlife. I’m under 21 so I don’t really have any perspective on the clubs and bars of Boston, but I can tell you that walking around the streets of Boston late at night can be not only depressing, but at times, unsettling. There aren’t a lot of people out and about, there aren’t a lot of shops or even food places open. It may be a stretch to say this, but: maybe later T operating hours will encourage all of Boston to stay open late at night. Maybe, someday, Boston will be a thriving nightlife metropolis. Like Chicago. Or New York. (Okay, dream big.)

Not only will late night T hours make Boston more fun to travel through at night, but it will also make Boston a lot safer. Of course, it probably won’t affect criminals in any direct way, but it will give you an opportunity to take the T home rather than wandering through some of the more dangerous streets around. And with all of the stabbings, shootings and robberies – I’m sure everyone will appreciate a chance to avoid getting attacked on the walk home.

In addition to the extended operating hours, the Department of Transportation is also using 2.4 billion dollars over the next 10 years to replace train cars and 850 million dollars to replace buses. I have high hopes for Boston as a changing city. Boston is known as a city marked by its history, but hopefully, within the next 10 years, we can encourage the change needed to help keep Boston up-to-date. Chicago and New York are great, but if Boston has the history, culture, and nightlife? I think there will be no comparison.

Originally published: February 3, 2013 Website of original published article: http://freepblog.wordpress.com/2013/02/03/the-t-to-extend-hours/