# Springfield City Council┃ Public Safety 11/10/26

The Springfield City Council Public Safety Subcommittee met on November 10, 2026, to discuss safety concerns along the CSX-owned rail corridor near Emily Street in Indian Orchard, where a fatal incident occurred in June. Residents and council members raised the absence of warning signs or fencing and asked about ways to prevent future incidents. A MassDOT rail administrator explained that MassDOT does not own or directly control this corridor; changes on railroad property would require the owner’s permission, while work outside the rail corridor may not. He described signage and fencing as possible education and engineering measures, noting that fencing is generally targeted to specific high-risk locations rather than installed along entire rail lines.

Council members asked whether MassDOT’s Complete Streets grants could help fund signs or fencing. The administrator agreed to check with colleagues and follow up. The chair and councilor proposed a follow-up meeting with MassDOT and the city’s DPW, and the councilor said they would seek a separate conversation with CSX about possible assistance. No contract award, spending approval, formal motion, or vote was identified; grant funding and infrastructure work remain possibilities for further discussion.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Construction & Infrastructure, Transportation
**Topics:** Physical Infrastructure, Grants & Funding
**Published:** November 10, 2026

### Sources
- [Springfield City Council┃ Public Safety 11/10/26](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS7DlHJ6CjY) - Springfield Municipal Meetings