Brightline, the intercity high-speed rail line that connects Miami to Orlando, with stops at several other cities along Florida's Atlantic Coast, announced March 4 that it has selected the city of Stuart in Martin County as the site for its next passenger rail station.
The company chose the location after a review of five proposals from private and public landowners along the Brightline/Florida East Coast Railway corridor in Martin and St. Lucie counties.
Expanding into the state's Treasure Coast will make Brightline one of the most accessible forms of transportation in Florida, according to the private company, and give access to nearly half of the state's residents and millions of visitors.
The decision to build a station in Stuart was driven by a number of key factors, including the location and physical characteristics of the property and the ease with which the site will integrate into Brightline's existing rail infrastructure network. In a news release, the rail service also highlighted various dynamics of the local market and the site's accessibility to key local attractions.
Brightline was joined at the project's announcement by U.S. Rep. Brian Mast, R-21st District, in addition to other city and county elected officials.
"I congratulate the city of Stuart and Martin County on its successful bid to secure the new Brightline station and parking structure," he said. "This is proof that our community can work together and come to a solution if we use common sense. I look forward to the economic development the Treasure Coast stop will bring to our local businesses and the opportunities it will provide to the surrounding cities and to the region."
New Station to Be Built in Downtown Stuart
The proposed Brightline rail station is to be located on 2.35 acres in the heart of historic Stuart, conveniently located between the Miami and Orlando whistlestops. It will be constructed approximately 40 mi. north of Brightline West Palm Beach, just 40 minutes away by train, and will be easily accessible from Interstate 95, the Florida Turnpike and the local roadway network.
Additionally, Brightline Stuart guests will be within easy walking distance of the award-winning downtown and minutes from Stuart's pristine beaches and oceanfront resorts.
"We've seen significant demand and support for a Brightline Station in the Treasure Coast, which was evident during this process," said Brian Kronberg, Brightline's senior vice president of Development and Construction. "It was a difficult decision and we're grateful for everyone's support and efforts to make this happen."
Following city and county approvals, Brightline and its partners will begin the design and engineering of the station, its adjacent parking structure, and necessary rail infrastructure, the company noted.
Stuart Mayor Becky Brunner said her city is "thrilled" that Brightline is expanding Florida's passenger rail network to her city.
"This marks a historic return to our roots and fulfills a vision held by Stuart for over 30 years [to offer] residents and visitors alike a first-class journey to Stuart, away from the congestion of highways," she explained, adding that she "looks forward to developing a partnership that defines the future of travel and transportation in Florida."
Her colleague, Troy McDonald, chair of the Martin Metropolitan Planning Organization, and a Stuart city commissioner, said, "The addition of a Brightline station will transform Stuart into a hub of modern transportation, fostering connectivity and economic prosperity."
Florida Rail Service Surging in Popularity
Brightline recently surpassed 5 million rides after first launching operations in South Florida in 2018 to connect Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. In 2022, the passenger rail company opened additional stations in Boca Raton and Aventura.
Last September, it completed work on the line between South Florida and Orlando International Airport to create a true intercity rail service. As the first long-haul travelers entered its Orlando station, Brightline noted that it "put an exclamation point on the boldest private infrastructure project in the nation and the biggest development in American train travel in over 100 years."
In all, Brightline's high-speed trains cover 235 mi. between Miami and Orlando in under 3.5 hours.
The service offers a guest-first experience designed to reinvent train travel and take cars off the road, Brightline noted in its press release. The company plans to bring its award-winning service to additional city pairs and congested corridors across the country that are too close to fly and too long to drive, with immediate plans to connect Las Vegas to Southern California.
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