New year, new Boston: Here's what readers say the city's resolutions should be

You may be stuck on what New Year's resolutions to set for yourself this year, but WBUR readers and listeners definitely have some ideas for Boston.

We originally asked this: If Boston was to set its own New Year's resolutions, what would they be and why? We thought the responses would be mostly silly, with some serious takes about daily inconveniences like the MBTA. And yes — there were plenty of comments on the MBTA. But we were also pleasantly surprised by the other thoughtful ideas residents had to see real growth and improvement across the city.

Some of the themes are likely no surprise. A smile from a stranger here and there. A campaign to get drivers to be nicer to each other. Other suggestions addressed everything from shortcomings in our health care system to improving how we support people experiencing homelessness.

Below we highlighted a range of resolution ideas that showcase the real aspirations Bostonians have for their city in 2024 and whether those ideas feel possible, or like a New Year's resolution that would be tossed aside by February.

Some responses have been lightly edited for clarity.

"Adequate signage and accessibility consideration during MBTA closures. It really isn't hard to be more thoughtful about where you place signs, and accessibility is achievable when you actually make an effort. (I know better than to wish for zero closures, but I'm optimistic enough to dream of better closures.)" — Rhiannon Pabich

"I want to have the MBTA improvements done correctly the first time because it's a big inconvenience to have these delays and disruptions daily! I hope the Boston MBTA could somehow achieve this goal, but they keep saying it will take until the end of 2024 for everything to happen!" — Shelley Mintz

"Fix the T and then make it free or nearly free. Other cities have systems that are safe and work (New York, DC, Chicago, Portland, OR). If it were safe and convenient, people would actually use it. Plenty of cities in Europe have free public transport (see Estonia, Malta) or nearly free (see Scandinavia). If they can do it, why can't we? Our economy (jobs) and survival (climate) depend on getting this right, and we should be willing to pay more or reallocate public funds to this purpose." — Lynne Doblin

"Commutes within Boston proper averaging 35 minutes or less." — Amelia Blanton

"Reduce commuter congestion into Boston and support growth in other Massachusetts cities. [It's possible if we] stop centralizing jobs in Boston." — Pat Tierney

"Can we do something — anything — that will relieve the most horrifying traffic ever? Cambridge and Arlington have successfully (for the most part) added bike lanes, but people actually use bikes in those communities! Folks in Boston steer away from using the lanes because the drivers and the double parked cars and the delivery trucks of all kinds have further clogged the neighborhood and downtown streets. Unfortunately, the construction issues add to this mess." — Carolyn Ingles

"How about more overt human kindness, a less hostile attitude, a change in the cold and standoffish attitude of our city and region, and a softer relationship with others in general. It is certainly within our powers to do it. It is a matter not of public policy or the spending of large sums of money, but a matter of changing our way of relating to one another. This is within all of our powers individually, and is therefore achievable given a collective effort in that direction." — Sam Glannon

"Start a marketing campaign that encourages drivers to be kind to one another. I think every little bit would help. I had a friend here from California who drove Uber, and he was shocked by the drivers. There's a lot of opportunity for improvement. Boston is such a great town and it’s the one thing that gives it a bad name." — Suzanne Lake

"A health care system that accepts new primary care patients and has enough beds in the hospitals. I believe that this resolution would fail as Boston would need to attract primary care physicians, which are in low supply. Additionally, the issues of limited residency spots (of which funding comes from Medicare) and the nature of hospital-based healthcare vs private practice." — Gabriela Miller

"To act like people earning less than $200,000 per year matter. It would fail because Boston is hostile to working people." — Ian Mulligan

"More public bathrooms." — Page Czepiga

"Use the open land Boston owns to end homelessness." — Edmond G. Bertrand

"A democratically elected school committee like every other municipality in Massachusetts." — Travis Marshall

"Making remote work/hybrid model a permanent option." — Nikki Rivera

"Double the amount food diverted from the landfill and away from the rats!" — Allison Kelly