@newtonmarunner.bsky.social
Life Insurance Actuary, 8x NYC Marathon Finisher, Pasta Aficionado
Hard to really compare Boston and Oakland, though, since Boston distances are shorter, and almost everyone in Boston has to transfer (often twice) to the train to get Downtown or even Back Bay.
December 10, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Hard to really compare Boston and Oakland, though, since Boston distances are shorter, and almost everyone in Boston has to transfer (often twice) to the train to get Downtown or even Back Bay.
But with Clipper 1 and fare capping, you essentially paid for the cost of between 2-3 trips over a 24 hour day.
Which is somewhat similar to what we have in Boston with $11/day fare caps.
Which is somewhat similar to what we have in Boston with $11/day fare caps.
December 10, 2025 at 8:58 PM
But with Clipper 1 and fare capping, you essentially paid for the cost of between 2-3 trips over a 24 hour day.
Which is somewhat similar to what we have in Boston with $11/day fare caps.
Which is somewhat similar to what we have in Boston with $11/day fare caps.
Given the bill passed nearly unanimously, her potential veto will likely be overridden.
That’s the problem.
That’s the problem.
December 10, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Given the bill passed nearly unanimously, her potential veto will likely be overridden.
That’s the problem.
That’s the problem.
Thx, Brian. That’s great news. Kudos to AC Transit for offering free transfers and fare capping!
December 10, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Thx, Brian. That’s great news. Kudos to AC Transit for offering free transfers and fare capping!
Does AC Transit have daily fare capping such that you don’t have to pay more than, say, $5.90/day on local buses no matter how many times you transfer?
Or can you pay $10+ on AC Transit fares if your destination requires transferring?
Or can you pay $10+ on AC Transit fares if your destination requires transferring?
December 10, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Does AC Transit have daily fare capping such that you don’t have to pay more than, say, $5.90/day on local buses no matter how many times you transfer?
Or can you pay $10+ on AC Transit fares if your destination requires transferring?
Or can you pay $10+ on AC Transit fares if your destination requires transferring?
This seems about right. A lot of towns in the west suburbs/MetroWest have minimum two acre lot requirements.
Boston is fairly dense closer in, but once you get outside the reach of MBTA bus/rapid transit network, it gets fairly spread out pretty fast.
Boston isn’t LA.
Boston is fairly dense closer in, but once you get outside the reach of MBTA bus/rapid transit network, it gets fairly spread out pretty fast.
Boston isn’t LA.
December 10, 2025 at 6:47 PM
This seems about right. A lot of towns in the west suburbs/MetroWest have minimum two acre lot requirements.
Boston is fairly dense closer in, but once you get outside the reach of MBTA bus/rapid transit network, it gets fairly spread out pretty fast.
Boston isn’t LA.
Boston is fairly dense closer in, but once you get outside the reach of MBTA bus/rapid transit network, it gets fairly spread out pretty fast.
Boston isn’t LA.
I live on the D branch, so I have plenty of first-hand experience — both good and bad — with the line with the best route in the system.
Boylston and Hynes aren’t disability accessible station. Hynes is smelly, and Boylston, the 1st MBTA station, has never been updated, and has teensy platforms.
Boylston and Hynes aren’t disability accessible station. Hynes is smelly, and Boylston, the 1st MBTA station, has never been updated, and has teensy platforms.
December 10, 2025 at 1:45 AM
I live on the D branch, so I have plenty of first-hand experience — both good and bad — with the line with the best route in the system.
Boylston and Hynes aren’t disability accessible station. Hynes is smelly, and Boylston, the 1st MBTA station, has never been updated, and has teensy platforms.
Boylston and Hynes aren’t disability accessible station. Hynes is smelly, and Boylston, the 1st MBTA station, has never been updated, and has teensy platforms.
The average hotel price in Boston on Patriots' Day weekend is a lot more than $291.
December 9, 2025 at 10:20 PM
The average hotel price in Boston on Patriots' Day weekend is a lot more than $291.
For ice cream, there are lots of great places in Boston -- J.P. Licks (all over), Toscanini's (Kendall Sq.), Christina's (Inman Sq.), Emack & Bolio (Back Bay and Washington Sq.), and Cabot's (Newton).
December 9, 2025 at 10:16 PM
For ice cream, there are lots of great places in Boston -- J.P. Licks (all over), Toscanini's (Kendall Sq.), Christina's (Inman Sq.), Emack & Bolio (Back Bay and Washington Sq.), and Cabot's (Newton).
Cambridge is fine as a cheaper alternative to Back Bay. Not as desirable as Back Bay but still plenty good. Central and Davis Sq. both have tons of good restaurants. Kendall Sq. has Toscanini's ice cream.
Remember, you only go to Fenway Park once, but you eat 3x/day and so on.
Remember, you only go to Fenway Park once, but you eat 3x/day and so on.
December 9, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Cambridge is fine as a cheaper alternative to Back Bay. Not as desirable as Back Bay but still plenty good. Central and Davis Sq. both have tons of good restaurants. Kendall Sq. has Toscanini's ice cream.
Remember, you only go to Fenway Park once, but you eat 3x/day and so on.
Remember, you only go to Fenway Park once, but you eat 3x/day and so on.
But really anywhere is fine. You're always a subway or cab ride away from everything. You just have to be willing to spend more time and money on transportation if you want to save on hotels.
[Fwiw, the Green Line is not disability accessible, so strollers are difficult to take on the GL.]
[Fwiw, the Green Line is not disability accessible, so strollers are difficult to take on the GL.]
December 9, 2025 at 9:57 PM
But really anywhere is fine. You're always a subway or cab ride away from everything. You just have to be willing to spend more time and money on transportation if you want to save on hotels.
[Fwiw, the Green Line is not disability accessible, so strollers are difficult to take on the GL.]
[Fwiw, the Green Line is not disability accessible, so strollers are difficult to take on the GL.]
What others have said. All depends upon your budget, goals, etc. And more is, well, more. ... I'll always recommend Back Bay (particularly for the Boston Marathon) if you can swing the costs -- more food and activity and more convenient to everything.
December 9, 2025 at 9:57 PM
What others have said. All depends upon your budget, goals, etc. And more is, well, more. ... I'll always recommend Back Bay (particularly for the Boston Marathon) if you can swing the costs -- more food and activity and more convenient to everything.
One word for eliminating the grotesque Cross Bronx Expressway: freight.
December 9, 2025 at 3:16 PM
One word for eliminating the grotesque Cross Bronx Expressway: freight.
What? The C. Montgomery Burns award for excellence in the field of excellence?
December 9, 2025 at 1:02 AM
What? The C. Montgomery Burns award for excellence in the field of excellence?
A sobering reminder of the political realities and that the central purpose of crayon is just to relax from work -- particularly for those of us who don't work in transit -- and have fun. ...
Now I must get back to my PATH crayon ...
Now I must get back to my PATH crayon ...
December 8, 2025 at 8:24 PM
A sobering reminder of the political realities and that the central purpose of crayon is just to relax from work -- particularly for those of us who don't work in transit -- and have fun. ...
Now I must get back to my PATH crayon ...
Now I must get back to my PATH crayon ...
And even without the presence of BQE, the dearth of metro connections for a mythical Myrtle Ave. El + hostile street network to pedestrians limit TOD potential north of Flushing Ave.
December 8, 2025 at 8:10 PM
And even without the presence of BQE, the dearth of metro connections for a mythical Myrtle Ave. El + hostile street network to pedestrians limit TOD potential north of Flushing Ave.
To be pedantic, the presence of the BQE and hostile street network to pedestrians north of Flushing Ave. also greatly limit TOD potential at Brooklyn Navy Yard.
December 8, 2025 at 8:10 PM
To be pedantic, the presence of the BQE and hostile street network to pedestrians north of Flushing Ave. also greatly limit TOD potential at Brooklyn Navy Yard.
You should ride Boston's Green Line if you want to see slow. Muni Metro is light years faster than Boston's Green Line -- particularly the B and E branches.
December 8, 2025 at 5:41 PM
You should ride Boston's Green Line if you want to see slow. Muni Metro is light years faster than Boston's Green Line -- particularly the B and E branches.
Muni Metro works the same way the MBTA Green Line in Boston -- another hybrid tram/metro line -- works. And Muni Metro is an order magnitude faster than Boston's Green Line.
The best way for trams to work is to not give up on them.
The best way for trams to work is to not give up on them.
December 8, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Muni Metro works the same way the MBTA Green Line in Boston -- another hybrid tram/metro line -- works. And Muni Metro is an order magnitude faster than Boston's Green Line.
The best way for trams to work is to not give up on them.
The best way for trams to work is to not give up on them.
That kind of net delegate loss has never been made up since Democrats barred winner-take-all primaries in 1989.
December 8, 2025 at 4:51 PM
That kind of net delegate loss has never been made up since Democrats barred winner-take-all primaries in 1989.
You're talking about someone like most Democratic presidential hopefuls who is likely to lose on Super Tuesday under proportional allocation VA/NC/AL by 30+ delegates each, GA by 50+ delegates, etc.; the week after MS by 25+ delegates; etc.
December 8, 2025 at 4:51 PM
You're talking about someone like most Democratic presidential hopefuls who is likely to lose on Super Tuesday under proportional allocation VA/NC/AL by 30+ delegates each, GA by 50+ delegates, etc.; the week after MS by 25+ delegates; etc.
You don't have to worry; I don't see Newsom as having a route to the nomination.
December 8, 2025 at 4:51 PM
You don't have to worry; I don't see Newsom as having a route to the nomination.
Voters and riders aren't going to agree to pay the capital cost of another BART Transbay Tube nor more important the operating costs of running more trains from the East Bay to the Peninsula.
Math, physics, and the political system don't go away just because people willfully ignore them.
Math, physics, and the political system don't go away just because people willfully ignore them.
December 8, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Voters and riders aren't going to agree to pay the capital cost of another BART Transbay Tube nor more important the operating costs of running more trains from the East Bay to the Peninsula.
Math, physics, and the political system don't go away just because people willfully ignore them.
Math, physics, and the political system don't go away just because people willfully ignore them.