MBTA Announces Safety First Program for South Coast Rail

MBTA kicks off right-of-way safety education program in advance of testing and passenger service for South Coast Rail Phase 1.

South Coast Rail (SCR) Phase 1 service between Boston and Southeastern Massachusetts will soon become a reality with MBTA Commuter Rail trains beginning service to and from Middleborough, East Taunton, Freetown, Fall River, and New Bedford for the first time in decades. With safety as the T’s first priority and in preparation for the return of passenger service to these areas, the MBTA is kicking off a Safety First education program for SCR communities.

As SCR Phase 1 nears the operation of test trains and the beginning of passenger service, the Safety First program shares rail safety rules and basics through brochures, videos, and presentations. The goal of this outreach is to bring an understanding of safety rules to every Southeastern Massachusetts city and town. The MBTA has prepared four safety videos for students of several ages and the general public.

Local officials, stakeholders, and other community groups like schools, libraries, and clubs can request more information or a presentation by emailing SouthCoastRail@dot.state.ma.us with “Safety First” in the subject line.

Restoration of Commuter Rail service to the southeastern region has reached a point such that later this year, the MBTA will begin running test trains along SCR Phase 1 track areas; in certain areas, train speeds will have the potential to reach speeds of up to 80 mph. Since 1959, track areas in the southeastern region of Massachusetts area only saw freight trains a few times a day at operating at speeds of up to 25 mph or less. As a component of the Safety First outreach, area residents will be reminded that rail rights-of-way are private property and entering or crossing a right-of-way is illegal, creates a significant safety risk, and is expressly prohibited except for when accessing stations or at specifically designated crossings. While recreational activities such as dog walking, ATV and dirt bike riding, and running may have occurred along railroad rights-of-way, it’s important to note that these actions pose major safety hazards to the individuals engaging in those activities, work crews along the rights-of-way, train crews, and passengers onboard Commuter Rail trains once service starts.

The Safety First program is made possible in part through a grant from Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI), a non-profit organization and nationally recognized leader of rail safety education. Since 1972, OLI has been committed to preventing collisions, injuries, and fatalities on and around railroad tracks and highway-rail grade crossings with the support of public education programs in states across the US.

In December 2022, OLI awarded more than $140,000 in grant funds to eight transit agencies in six states for rail transit safety public awareness and education projects and campaigns. The approved grants were awarded through a competitive process, based upon criteria such as key safety messages, target audiences, and evaluation methods. The MBTA received funding to implement a public education program to include community outreach and multilingual safety materials in advance of the resumption of SCR passenger service in Southeastern Massachusetts at the end of 2023. Funding for the OLI grants comes from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).