NESPA Winner: Localizing, 2023

The Gator, Brimmer and May School, Chestnut Hill, MA

A Federal Transit Administration (FTA) report outlining serious safety concerns about the T, including mismanagement by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), has also sparked concerns at School.

The FTA blasted the MBTA safety record and deferred maintenance, highlighted by recent high-profile accidents, including a fire on the Orange Line, crashes, and a man dying after his arm was caught in a train door.

“Not having written rules leads to a lack of understanding of what is required, as well as a lax safety culture throughout the agency that sets the stage for safety lapses,” FTA spokesman Paul Kincaid told WBZ in June.

As a result of these occurrences, Dean of Students Paul Murray has seen an increase in student tardiness. The School is located right by the Green Line’s Chestnut Hill stop, and many students depend on public transportation to arrive safely and on time.

“We officially have to record them as tardies, but we are not holding them against the students and families,” Murray said. “Families have reached out to us, and our message to them and all of our families is that they should do their best to get to school on time, but student safety is paramount.”

Read the full story here.