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mpjjpm t1_je4fqrq wrote

West End is a great place to live without a car. Walkable to both MGH and downtown for commuting. Multiple grocery stores within easy walking distance. Plenty of restaurants and entertainment within walking distance. The T is fine if you aren’t dependent on it to get to work on time, and West End is close to stops for all four lines, so you have alternatives when needed. I lived in West End without a car for four years, and my only complaint is the lack of “community” because most residents are only there for a few years during residency/fellowship at MGH.

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A1utra t1_je50car wrote

What’s considered walkable for Boston? I’m gonna be doing my PhD there in the fall and will spend much of my time over near mass gen, but then a few days a week I’ll have courses over at the navy yard which looks like it’s about 1.5mi away, so trying to gauge if by Boston standards this is pretty reasonable and safe to walk, especially in the evenings, or if that really needs to involve a car

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mpjjpm t1_je522gs wrote

That isn’t the most pleasant walk, but it’s a reasonable distance and safe. Biggest danger there is crossing the street at Washington and Chelsea. But! MGH has a shuttle service between the hospital and Navy Yard, which might work as primary or backup transportation depending on your schedule.

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A1utra t1_je5xxum wrote

This is helpful to know! I’ll see if I can find the shuttle schedule! Is it not pleasant because of some of the crossings or something else that makes it unpleasant?

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mpjjpm t1_je65amn wrote

The most direct route is through Paul Revere and North Point parks, which is pleasant. Getting from MGH to the parks requires a walk along Storrow for a few blocks. Then from the parks to the Navy Yard is along Chelsea. The crossings can be bad, and it’s also just a lot of barren sidewalk next to heavy traffic.

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1998_2009_2016 t1_je5aqun wrote

Safety isn't a concern, it's more how long you want to spend walking - plenty of people have no problem walking an hour from downtown back to Central Square after the bars close, if it's a nice enough night.

One mile is usually the cutoff where it's not particularly reasonable, so either you commit to somewhat unreasonable but doable walking, or you get a bike. Definitely don't need a car for a 1.5 mile commute.

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f1Ynoeld3TRCRaw t1_je58g8k wrote

people in Boston are delusional about walking. the person you're replying to just said 1.5 MILES away is a reasonable distance away. NO ITS NOT. people here will tell you Boston is the most walkable city and that you don't need a car while you're literally riding shotgun in their car.

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ReporterOther2179 t1_je5swaz wrote

My weekday sanity walk is 3.5 to 4 miles depending on which loop. The four mile is an hour ten if I stop to smell the roses. A 1.5 mile with a destination and a deadline would be twenty five minutes, and me a moderately healthy pudgy 70 year old.

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f1Ynoeld3TRCRaw t1_je5vwg6 wrote

you're literally the delusional person im talking about... you claim Boston is a walking city but also enjoys going on 4 mile sanity walks. not everyone likes that and selling Boston as a walking city just because you're used to walking 4 miles at a time is just ridiculous.

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ReporterOther2179 t1_je5x5i1 wrote

I don’t require that everybody like that. Can you conceive that many people do like that. And accept that civilly?

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Stronkowski t1_je632t0 wrote

If you can't walk 1.5 miles you must have a health issue...

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