Brightline picks location for a Treasure Coast station. Find out where and when it'll open
Brightline is building its next Treasure Coast station in Stuart.
A little more than six months ago, Brightline began zipping through the Treasure Coast, initiating service between Miami and Orlando.
That Sept. 22 launch began the clock ticking for Brightline to build a station somewhere on the Treasure Coast within five years. On Oct. 26, Brightline announced it would begin accepting proposals for a station in either Martin or St. Lucie county.
Stuart City Manager Mike Mortell learned the news from Brightline on Monday, and informed city employees that Stuart had won the competition for the new station. It is to be built downtown, near the Martin County Courthouse.
Here's what to know about the new Brightline's newest station:
Where will the Brightline Stuart station be built?
Brightline selected the proposal from Martin County and the city of Stuart. The county and the city proposed the station be built at 500 SE Flagler Ave.
The site, currently used as a parking lot, is on 2.35 acres and it could accommodate an 8,750-square-foot station, a 200-450-space parking structure, 10 rideshare spaces and 92 on-street parking spaces, according to the proposal.
What's the estimated cost of the Stuart Brightline station?
It was unknown Monday whether Brightline had accepted the city-county proposal as it was submitted in late December or if there had been negotiations on terms of the deal.
Based on the cost of Brightline's Boca Raton station, Stuart's is estimated to cost about $60 million. Construction cost will be covered by the city, county and Brightline, with $45 million coming from the city and county. The county would donate the site, near the county courthouse, to Stuart, which would lease it to the railroad company for $1 a year for 80 years.
TCPalm reported that the two governments already are seeking state and federal grants to offset the cost, according to the application. State and federal grants could cut the city and county's combined cost to less than $10 million, according to county officials.
When will the Brightline station in Stuart be completed?
In a 2018 lawsuit settlement, Brightline committed to building a station on the Treasure Coast within five years of the start of full service to Orlando.
Brightline has said its new Treasure Coast station would be under construction in 2026 and would open in 2028.
Where are the other Brightline stations in Florida?
There are six Brightline stations along the 235-mile corridor: Miami, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach and Orlando.
How fast do Brightline trains travel through the Treasure Coast?
TCPalm conducted speed checks of Brightline trains, using a radar gun, over several days in October. Here are the findings:
23-31 mph: 53rd Street in Gifford
32 mph: Confusion Corner in Stuart
34 mph: Stuart railroad bridge and Walton Road in Port St. Lucie
35 mph: Walton Road in Port St. Lucie
38 mph: Orange Avenue in Fort Pierce
40 mph: Sebastian Center
42-48 mph: Main Street in Sebastian
44 mph: Langford Park in Jensen Beach
45 mph: Oslo Road in Vero Beach
51 mph: Schumman Drive in Sebastian and County Road 707 in Rio
53 mph: American Icon Brewery in Vero Beach
58 mph: 77th Street in Wabasso
63 mph: St. Sebastian River railroad bridge in Roseland
64 mph: Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Hobe Sound
68 mph: St. Lucie Village in Fort Pierce
69 mph: Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute in Fort Pierce
70 mph: Midway Road in Fort Pierce and roundabout in downtown Jensen Beach
78 mph: 87th Street in Wabasso
79 mph: 20th Street in Vero Beach
82 mph: Monterey Road in Stuart
Staff writers Keith Burbank and Wicker Perlis contributed to this report.
Gianna Montesano is TCPalm’s trending reporter. You can contact her at gianna.montesano@tcpalm.com, 772-409-1429, or follow her on X (formerly Twitter) @gonthescene.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Brightline Stuart: Where will train station be, how much will it cost?