As Boston has gained a reputation as one of the country’s most desirable urban markets, countless new residents have flocked to the area, hoping to get in on the action in this thriving metropolis. While the city’s diverse neighborhoods, from Back Bay to Jamaica Plain, have been drawing new residents for decades, the addition of the Green Line to Somerville has made the small city, which lies two miles outside of Boston proper, just as desirable — if not more — than any of Boston’s neighborhoods. With beautiful architecture and peerless convenience, it’s clear that this Boston-adjacent city is about to earn its rightful place as the next big thing.
Efficient transportation has long been one of the greatest factors helping a neighborhood — or entire city, in Somerville’s case — rise to prominence. Much like the Manhattanites flocked to Williamsburg in the early 2000s, thanks to the convenience of the L train, and the countless potential residents who are turning out to snag a piece of Miami’s Brickell Flatiron condominiums, which have easy access to public transportation at the American Airlines Arena, the planned extension of the Green Line is making Somerville one of the most desirable enclaves in the Boston area. With a projected completion date in 2017, the Green Line extension will serve an estimated 52,000 riders, running from Somerville’s Union Square to locations throughout Boston. While construction on the project was initially delayed due to air quality concerns, the first phase Somerville extension began planning and construction in early 2013.
Easily accessible public transportation is one of the major aspects that can make or break a city and its surrounding suburbs. In cities like New York, top-tier public transportation has allowed all five boroughs and the surrounding metropolitan area to thrive, and it seems that other cities are quickly catching on, as well. With the addition of the Green Line extension to Somerville, businesses in both Boston and Somerville will benefit from increased revenue, the city will enjoy a consistent cash influx from the thousands of commuters who use the system daily, and one of Boston’s finest neighbors will become what residents and regular visitors already know it to be — a welcome extension of the city they love.
