STUART, Fla. — The first Brightline trains will begin traveling Friday morning with passengers from South Florida to Orlando, completing a massive expansion project that cost the company $6 billion and took four years to complete.
The long-awaited service to Orlando broke ground in June 2019 with test runs starting in early 2022.
Construction involved laying 170 miles of new track and two million spikes and bolts along with building the new Orlando station. There are now 235 miles of track between Miami and Orlando.
Trips from Miami to Orlando will last about three and a half hours at speeds up to 125 mph. Travel from West Palm Beach to Orlando will take about two hours.
The new Orlando stop joins stations in Miami, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach.
Travel
Brightline announces Sept. 22 start for train service to Orlando
The Orlando station is a 40,000-square-foot facility located next to Terminal C at the city's international airport.
A one-way ticket between Miami and Orlando will start at $79 for adults $39 for children. Premium seats will cost $149 and up. There will also be bundles available for families of four, starting at under $199.
Brightline's current schedule between Central and South Florida includes 16 daily round trips with hourly northbound and southbound departures.
Safety concerns persist
However, the latest expansion of Brightline service to Central Florida also comes with safety concerns. That includes deadly incidents involving Brightline trains.
The Associated Press analyzed federal data beginning in 2019, finding that Brightline trains have the highest death rate in the U.S., fatally striking 98 people since Miami-West Palm Beach operations began.
That's a rate of about one death for every 32,000 miles its trains travel.
However, none of the 98 deaths have been found to be Brightline's fault.
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Many residents on the Treasure Coast have kept a close watch on the expansion, which travels through the region without stopping.
Among their concerns is how service will impact the St. Lucie River railroad bridge.
The sound of passing trains in Stuart is being met with hesitation by some residents.
John Dial, a Stuart boater and owner of At the Helm Training Company is among those voicing his displeasure.
"Everybody is against it, all the boaters, because it impedes your use of the waterway," Dial said.
For months, Dial and other boaters have expressed their concerns about how the Brightline expansion will impact their access along the St. Lucie River.
The amount of time the St. Lucie railroad bridge will be closed has been a contentious issue between Brightline, local leaders and the boating community.
The coast guard in August updated the schedule for the railroad bridge, so it will remain open except when a train is crossing or work is being done on the bridge.
"If the changes that are suggested and said that they're going to happen, happen, I think it'll be OK," Dial said.
Travel
Treasure Coast residents voice Brightline train concerns
However, he remains skeptical if everyone involved will stick to the schedule.
"If you've ever dealt with the government much or any big business like that, and they've got the cards in their hands," Dial said. "They're going to do what they want to do, and it really doesn't matter about me or anybody else."
Brightline said it worked with the Coast Guard in creating a schedule that works for those involved.
Stuart Mayor Troy McDonald has listened to the concerns and said the rail company has done a good job of addressing the issues.
"When we have brought issues to them regarding safety at intersections, they're listening to us," McDonald said. "They actually redesigned one intersection."
The mayor feels that since then, much of the community's concerns have been reduced.
"I think that everybody is going to work hard to make it work," McDonald said. "I think there may need to be adjustments from time to time but I think most importantly we're on the path, and we're working hard to get a new bridge."
The first Brightline train headed to Central Florida departs Miami at 6:50 a.m., stopping in West Palm Beach at about 7:45 a.m. and departing at 8:03 a.m. The train is scheduled to arrive in Orlando at 10:15 a.m.
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