Safety of Fort Hill/Roxbury Crossing T Area (Boston, Cambridge: crime, neighborhoods)

[keekski]

Hello Boston! Spending a few nights in a couple of weeks in Fort Hill, obviously close to Roxbury Crossing T. How safe is that area these days? Back when I was in college in the Boston area (20+ years ago), it was not great. Wondering if it's possible to walk to Fenway and MFA from the area or if taking the Orange line up and switching lines is a better option. The orange line had such a bad reputation, thinking the gentrification of the area and remodel of the T station at Roxbury Crossing has made it better? If we do walk to MFA/Fenway, what would be the best route?

[Dm84]

It's still not great.

[bjimmy24]

Pass.

[keekski]

Fab. I guess we'll Uber.

[bjimmy24]

I mean, it's better than 20 years ago and it's only a mile so you'd be fine. But it's nothing to get excited about.

[keekski]

So, Tremont between Columbus & Brigham Circle is cool?

[Dm84]

Originally Posted by keekski

So, Tremont between Columbus & Brigham Circle is cool?

People will tell you it's perfectly fine and odds are for most people it probably is. Would I walk around there by myself at 2 am? Nope.

[such sweet thunder]

I'll be the first in defending Fort Hill. This topic seems to come out with surprising regularity.

Mission Hill is still only okay, and you'd be passing through that on a walk to Fenway.

The crime statistics say that Fort Hill is fine at any hour. It's been something like seven years in our neighborhood since there's been a murder or reported sexual assault. That's way better than virtually every other part of Boston, Beacon Hill, Cambridge, wherever.

Crime seems to follow activity, and Fort Hill is very sleepy as compared to Fenway, Mission Hill etc.

I'm not telling you when to walk around and what you should be comfortable about -- only that it has been strikingly incident free for quite a while.

[eevee]

I remember walking this route quite a bit back in the day (I used to live near Dudley Sq. around 12 or so years ago and, when the Stop & Shop opened up, would walk there to do my shopping). I never felt unsafe though my tolerance may be higher than most. I've never understood the fear/distrust people have about the orange line, other than the fact that it goes through some less-than-awesome neighborhoods *shrugs*.

I would personally save yourself some cash and either take the orange line or a bus to Ruggles and just walk from there if walking down Tremont is unnerving.

[bigfatdude]

You'll be fine. Roxbury has plenty of areas you wouldn't want to visit unless you're driving an M1A2 Abrams equipped with tank urban survival kit but Fort Hill definitely isn't one of them, it's been fully yuppified for quite a while at this point.