Private rail provider Brightline has announced that it has reached the halfway mark on construction of its new high-speed railway extension from West Palm Beach, Florida, to the Orlando International Airport. Once complete—expected in late 2022—the corridor will connect South and Central Florida over a 235-mile span.
The 170-mile construction project employs over 1,000 workers across multiple sites. It incorporates 48 bridges, 52,000 tons of steel rail, 1.4 million square feet of retaining walls, and 6 million cubic yards of earth embankment. The whole Brightline rail network is expected to create over 10,000 jobs and over $6.4 billion in economic impact over the next eight years. At an average train speed of 79 to 125 mph, riders will be able to travel from West Palm Beach to Orlando in approximately two hours or less.
“Today, Brightline is halfway home to Orlando as we progress toward completion of one of the nation’s largest and most significant transportation projects,” says Brightline CEO Mike Reininger. “This is just one major milestone of Brightline’s progress and investment of more than $4 billion, which serves as a powerful example to those across the country who are calling for the creation of a national high-speed rail network.”
The company has stations in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. In addition to the Orlando extension, Brightline is planning additional stations in Boca Raton and Aventura, with discussions underway for stations in Disney and Tampa.
At this scale, the Brightline system would connect three of the nation's 15 largest single-family home markets. The service is intended to serve as an alternative to traveling or commuting by car, with a stated goal of taking 3 million cars off the roads each year. This provides easier, faster, and more sustainable access to the state's employment centers for residents, according to the company.
At present, all Brightline service is suspended in response to current transportation conditions, including the COVID-19 pandemic and widespread work-from-home arrangements. Service is intended to resume later this year.
“Today is an important milestone,” says Orange County mayor Jerry Demings. “The construction of the Orlando extension has employed thousands throughout the region and will continue to bring much-needed jobs to our community. We need to continue to support public and private partnerships that will improve transportation and mobility options and meet the needs of our growing population.”
Brightline intends to expand its service across the country, with a connection between Las Vegas and Southern California in progress.
