As of August 2010, we've spoken to hundreds of people about the future. A few dozen of these people were nice enough to make predictions about the future. (Would you like to make a prediction? If so, click on "Make a prediction", above)

Some of these predictions took the form of elaborate short stories, or intricate drawings or maps.

Click on their names to see what these participants submitted to the project. (Note: to see these predictions in context, click on "Timeline & findings", above.)

(image source: Bill Rankin. Click here to see the full version of the map)

As for the timeline, I have to admit that I think the chances of those lines actually being added are pretty remote. The extension of the Green line to Medford has been talked about for a long time, and may in fact happen, perhaps 2020 is a reasonable date for that one? This project may or may not go through Union Square.. if not, perhaps a separate extension like the one I drew, heading to Harvard Square, could be a project for the 2020s or 2030s. The other lines (purple and yellow, on my map) would require much greater population density before they're viable, and it's unclear if Cambridge/Somerville will ever have the density of Manhattan or Brooklyn. Let's say those are projects for the 2060s or beyond?

(source: Bill Rankin)