Monday, December 18, 2017
Brightline train gets final federal approval to connect Orlando to Miami
Posted By Colin Wolf on Mon, Dec 18, 2017 at 10:41 AM
Brightline, the somewhat high-speed private rail service from All Aboard Florida, just got the final nod to begin construction on the West Palm Beach-to-Orlando leg.
The Federal Railroad Administration issued a decision on the plan last Friday, Dec. 15, that basically makes the Miami-to-Orlando route a reality at some point. Construction for the Phase 2 Orlando route is expected to begin in early 2018, says parent company All Aboard Florida.
"This is the most critical and final step in the extension of Brightline’s service to Orlando, and we are excited to move forward with Phase 2," said Dave Howard, Brightline’s CEO in a statement.
From All Aboard Florida:
The company recently announced that service between West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale would begin by the end of this month, though no specific time frames or even ticket prices have been announced.
When completed, the company says it will take about 30 minutes to travel from West Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale and another 30 minutes to get to Miami. An Orlando-to-Miami trip is expected to take roughly three hours. All Aboard Florida says their trains travel between 79-125 miles per hour.
The Federal Railroad Administration issued a decision on the plan last Friday, Dec. 15, that basically makes the Miami-to-Orlando route a reality at some point. Construction for the Phase 2 Orlando route is expected to begin in early 2018, says parent company All Aboard Florida.
"This is the most critical and final step in the extension of Brightline’s service to Orlando, and we are excited to move forward with Phase 2," said Dave Howard, Brightline’s CEO in a statement.
From All Aboard Florida:
The project is moving full speed ahead. Over the next few months, Brightline will finalize the design for the rail infrastructure and the 70-acre Vehicle Maintenance Facility that will be located on Orlando International Airport property.
Construction of the system will create thousands of jobs and provide a much-needed link between Florida’s two most visited and populated regions. Brightline’s station in Orlando will be located at the Orlando International Airport’s new Intermodal Terminal Facility (ITF) that will be the hub of the future South Terminal complex. The ITF is connected to the North Terminal by a recently completed Automated People Mover and includes a 5,000-space parking garage. SunRail, Central Florida’s commuter rail system, has a planned connection to the ITF. The completion of the South Terminal will add 16 new gates for international and domestic flights.
The company recently announced that service between West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale would begin by the end of this month, though no specific time frames or even ticket prices have been announced.
When completed, the company says it will take about 30 minutes to travel from West Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale and another 30 minutes to get to Miami. An Orlando-to-Miami trip is expected to take roughly three hours. All Aboard Florida says their trains travel between 79-125 miles per hour.
Related Stories
-
SunRail really wants you to stop taking selfies on the damn tracks
Jul 9, 2018 -
SunRail announces new schedule and opening of four new stations
Jun 19, 2018 -
Florida's new 'higher-speed' train Brightline killed two people in one week
Jan 18, 2018 -
Brightline's 'higher speed' train service will begin this weekend in Florida
Jan 11, 2018 -
The country's first private high-speed rail service will debut in Florida this month
Dec 8, 2017
More on Bloggytown
More by Colin Wolf
Readers also liked…
Most Popular
-
Traffic in downtown Orlando will be absolutely horrible tonight Read More
-
Foxtail accepts resignation of COO in wake of harassment accusations Read More
-
DeVos family, owners of the Orlando Magic, just donated $200K to Ron DeSantis Read More
-
Former employees of Joel Greenberg allege he fired them for supporting political opponent Read More
-
Florida Supreme Court Justices give the OK to 'bundling' amendments on ballot Read More
Newsletters
