Governor Deval Patrick announced on Dec. 3 that beginning in March the MBTA would extend its subway hours until 3 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.  This includes the Silver Line and the 15 most popular bus routes.
The pilot program is scheduled to run one year and cost close to $20 million. Funding for the program will be provided by the state as well as sponsorships from businesses such as the Boston Globe.
“Extending service on weekend evenings will allow the public to enjoy the many attractions and restaurants that the region has to offer and is more cost-effective for workers to return home late at night,” stated Governor Patrick.
While Bostonians are excited about the announcement, there are those who question the issue of late-night security at the stations. University of Massachusetts Boston sophomore Brian Edmonds remarked, “I think that the plan is a fantastic opportunity to extend and make late night options accessible in the city. I do think that they should most definitely invest in higher security during the later hours as we never know who might be around.”
Transit Police Superintendent-in-Chief Joseph O’Connor commented that the T would provide sufficient security during the extended late night hours.
The MBTA ran a similar program between 2001 and 2005, which kept subways open until 2:30 a.m. on weekends. The program did not see a spike in criminal activity during its run, but was cancelled due to low numbers of riders.