Brightline gets one step closer to opening in Orlando with high-speed testing

Brightline testing trains in Brevard County

We are just weeks away from Brightline trains roaring through Central Florida and that means more high-speed testing for Brevard County. Brightline and local law enforcement are teaming up to bring safety awareness to the public because disobeying the law could cost you your life or time behind bars. Coming through at 110 miles per hour, Brightline trains will be completing final testing through 41 miles of track in Brevard County starting this weekend. With the trains traveling at high speeds, it’s even more important that drivers and pedestrians look and listen.

MELBOURNE, Fla. - Brightline will be one step closer to opening in Orlando after a round of high-speed testing in Brevard County.

The high-speed testing is scheduled to start as early as Friday in Brevard County with rail speeds reaching 110 mph, officials said in a news conference Tuesday morning in Melbourne. Testing will take place on a 41-mile stretch of track involving multiple railroad crossings throughout Brevard County, including Cocoa, Rockledge, Melbourne, Palm Bay, Malabar, Grant-Valkaria and Micco (see the full list below).

Testing will occur every day between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.

This testing is among the final tests for Brightline's official opening in Orlando.

"We're very excited. We are going to begin service in just a matter of weeks," Brightline's Katie Mitzner said in a press conference Tuesday. "This has been decades in the making, and we've been working for the last four years on the construction to Orlando.

Brightline testing hits speeds of up to 110 mph

Brightline will begin its high-speed testing in Brevard County this week, officials said in a press conference Tuesday. The 110-mph testing in Brevard County will take place on a 41-mile-long track passing through Cocoa, Rockledge, Melbourne, Palm Bay, Malabar, Grant-Valkaria and Micco from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Melbourne Police Department is also running an education and enforcement rail safety awareness campaign through August. With these tests, Brightline is one step closer to officially open in Orlando.

"So to see the trains coming through, doing this testing, it's very exciting to see it come to fruition, and we're excited to open up to Orlando in just a couple of weeks."

Coming through at 110 miles per hour, it’s important that drivers and pedestrians look and listen for the trains.

"It takes a Brightline train a mile to stop," said Katie Mitzner, director of Brightline public affairs. "Once you see a Brightline train coming it’s too late. You need to follow the laws at all times around railroad crossings and stay off the tracks."

Melbourne police officers are already ramping up safety education patrols by placing uniformed officers in marked cars at various crossings throughout the city to tell drivers and pedestrians about railroad safety. So far no violations have been reported, but the penalties can be stiff.

"For a vehicle, if you don’t obey the signage, it’s a $209 fine with three points on your driver's license," Melbourne Deputy Chief David Waltemeyer said. "For a pedestrian, it’s a $67 fine for a violation. If you tamper with any of the safety equipment and devices that could be a felony in the state of Florida with a $5,000 fine and up to a year in jail for trespassing. Going into marked areas is a criminal violation 60 days in jail and a $500 fine."

Brightline has spent millions of dollars in safety improvements at all 156 railroad crossings along the 129-mile corridor between Cocoa and West Palm Beach for new signals, new gate mechanisms, new pedestrian gates, and more. But at the end of the day, it all comes down to human behavior.

When does Brightline open in Orlando?

Tickets are on sale now with the first Brightline trips starting on September 1, the Labor Day holiday weekend.

MORE DETAILS: How much are Brightline train tickets? When can I purchase them?

Brightline Orlando completes construction

Brightline Orlando is celebrating a major milestone as it works to connect central and south Florida.

Safety improvements ahead of Brightline's opening in Orlando

Throughout the high-speed testing, residents can expect additional wait times at railroad crossings within the testing area. Flaggers will be present at railroad crossings, in addition to local law enforcement agencies who will be active along the testing corridor.

The Melbourne Police Department has initiated a rail safety awareness campaign where officers who are actively patrolling the rail corridor will distribute rail safety materials to drivers and pedestrians. They'll also be strictly enforcing laws against trespassing on railroad tracks and at railroad crossings. This campaign will run through August.

In addition to these safety measures, Brightline has implemented a few of their own, including new crossing gates, signal systems, pedestrian gates, pavement markings and roadway profiles. These improvements vary from crossing to crossing.

Railroad crossings will also have quad gates or medians to keep drivers from driving around lowered crossing gates in areas where trains operate above 79 mph, Brightline said.

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Brightline officials unveiled the new Orlando Station and allowed guests to tour a train.

Brightline safety tips for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists

Here's a few safety reminders, according to Brightline:

Residents should be alert and follow the law around active railroad tracks and railroad crossings
Drivers, pedestrians and cyclists should be aware that rail traffic will run on BOTH tracks in BOTH directions
Stay off the tracks and never go around crossing gates
Only cross the railroad at a designated crossing
Never stop on the tracks
Failure to follow the law could result in fines, points on your license or loss of life

Could Brightline open up a station in Brevard County?

Mitzner said a Brightline station on the Space Coast has always been a "vision," but the focus right now is on Orlando.

"We'll continue to have more conversations about where those future stations will be," she said.

Brightline railroad crossings in Brevard County

Here's a list of the railroad crossings Brightline will be passing through during high-speed testing in Brevard County. Flaggers will be present at all railroad crossings where speeds are above 79 mph when testing is actively taking place.

Cocoa