Safety is not the priority at the T, according to a report released today.

"The MBTA’s intense focus on tightening its budget while speeding the pace of capital projects has been 'detrimental' to the operations of the agency, and it’s helped foster a culture where safety is not the priority, a panel of experts found," report Matt Stout and Adam Vaccaro.
The report was commissioned in response to a June derailment of a Red Line train as it entered the JFK/UMass station in Dorcester. The report "found a safety department that it described as 'debilitated,' critical inspections that are not being performed, and departments that rarely, if ever, communicate with one another."
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker held a press conference to respond to the report's findings, promising actions to improve safety at the transit agency.
FULL STORY: Safety ‘is not the priority’ at the MBTA, panel finds

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing
The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents
The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie