The Political Boys of Summer

This summer, the second most-popular spectator sport in Somerville is MBTA-Watching. Somervillians have heard promises of a Green Line stop (or two) and an Orange Line stop, on-and-off for years and years and years.

August was a bad month for MBTA-Watchers: they suffered more delays in the Green line and in the Orange line projects.

Somerville needs mass transit! It is a dense city, just 2.5 miles from Boston, yet it takes about a half hour to get from Union Square to Boston by bus and train. A quarter of its households do not have a car. Eight train lines pass through Somerville, yet it has only one T stop. Somerville took on tons of air pollution and hours of traffic delays while the Big Dig was dug. Yet Somerville waits for promises made to be fulfilled.

Some MBTA-Watchers grin and bear it and say "wait until next year!" They have been tireless fighting for their MBTA stops. They come to all the hearings, even the one called during the playoff again against "them" in 2004.

At least the other spectator sport is bringing Somervillians some pleasure. The Sox are doing great as we round the end of August. Go Sox!