Over the last couple of decades, the greater Boston area has put a lot of money into expanding buses, walkability, denser town cores. Two recent significant changes are setting aside dedicated bus lanes so the busiest routes aren’t stuck in traffic, and a state zoning rule requiring “as of right” higher density housing near transit.

I live in one of those suburbs and it is certainly more car centric than I’d like. However it does have a walkable town center, it does have a transit hub centered on a commuter rail stop, and it does have a newly built rail trail. I live in a single family housing area but can walk to the center, where there is lots of shops, restaurants, larger apartments buildings. If I didn’t want to walk, there’s regular bus service going past my block. If I worked in one of the nearby corporate office parks, there is an entire shuttle system could choose to use. We have lots more to do, but are doing it

Personally I’m excited by the planned new train station! The plan is to move a small quiet station from a nearby town, that few people use, to just off the highway as a huge park-n-ride. I’ll never use it, but it should take a huge number of cars off the roads