The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities has proposed new rulemaking that would strengthen safety standards at railroad crossings throughout the state.
The new regulations would establish clearer and more consistent requirements to protect drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, and rail passengers, officials said. The new rules give DPU, railroads, municipalities and other entities more ability to identify safety risks and make improvements at grade crossings. Additionally, it establishes clearer procedures for evaluating crossings, recommending safety upgrades and ensuring concerns are addressed promptly.
“As freight and passenger rail use expands in Massachusetts, we want to strengthen our ability to identify and address safety concerns before they happen,” DPU Commissioner Staci Rubin said. “These regulations would create a diagnostic team process led by the DPU’s skilled rail engineers that would improve our ability to identify and address safety concerns and create a more transparent process for making safety improvements. We look forward to hearing from railroads, municipalities, transportation agencies, and members of the public as we work through the rulemaking process.”
Officials said the regulations come as passenger rail service continues to grow across the state. In 2025, the state saw the opening of South Coast Rail and DPU continues to plan for West-East Rail. The changes are part of the department’s broader effort to modernize rail safety oversight, and to take a more proactive, risk-based approach to identifying and addressing potential hazards.
“People should not have to think twice about safety whether they take the train to work, are on the road, or at a railroad crossing,” DPU Commissioner Liz Anderson said. “Our job is to make sure strong safety standards are in place before something goes wrong. These rulemakings would strengthen accountability and oversight, giving us better tools to identify risks and address them immediately.”
DPU will hold two public hearings about the proposed rulemaking – one in Boston on Sept. 22, and another in Springfield on Sept. 23. Written comments to the proposed rules are due by Sept. 21.