Brightline on track as it completes 1st major construction zone leading to OIA
Brightline plans to open a train route between South Florida and Orlando by late 2022. (Photo from Brightline)
ORLANDO, Fla. - Brightline announced its heading in the right direction as the company has completed its first major construction zone on its 170-mile extension from West Palm Beach to Orlando International Airport.
The high-speed rail service said it finished one of four zones along a 3.5 mile long stretch on Brightline's corridor leading into OIA.
According to Brightline, Zone 2 is an engineered double track that runs under active airport taxiways and over tug roads running through the Orlando airport.
"The completion of Zone 2 is a major milestone for the Brightline construction and engineering team as we continue to work towards the completion of the corridor to Orlando from West Palm Beach," said Donald Jello, project manager at Brightline.
The train carrier construction of Zone 2 includes:
- Six bridges
- Two underpasses
- A new traffic interchange configuration at Cargo Road
- OIA's first roundabout designed to assist with traffic flow
The steel used throughout Zone 2 is 100 percent recycled, sourced from Fort Wayne, Indiana.
"Our construction through OIA presented one of the most complex construction efforts of this entire project and our successful completion is a testament to partnership, teamwork and out-of-the-box thinking," said Michael Cegelis, executive vice president, development and construction for Brightline.
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Beginning in 2023, the company's trains will run through OIA at 35 miles per hour before heading east along SR 528 towards Cocoa. Once reaching Cocoa, the trains will reach top speeds of 125 miles per hour, according to Brightline.
The company said the Orlando extension is now 70 percent complete and is scheduled to be finished by the end of 2022.
"Over an eight-year period, Brightline’s corridor between Miami and Orlando will result in $6.4 billion in economic impact while creating more than 10,000 jobs," the high-speed rail service said.
Brightline currently runs through Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, with its expansion stations in Aventura and Boca Raton opening in the fall of 2022.
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