Love 'em or hate 'em, let's make Brightline train crossings as safe as we can | Opinion

It's been said politics and religion are two things that shouldn't be discussed in polite company because those topics have a tendency to cause a ruckus.

Maybe we should add Brightline to the list.

As I'm approaching my one-year anniversary as a Treasure Coast resident, I'm learning how strongly local residents feel about plans to extend Brightline's passenger train service between West Palm Beach and Orlando.

I know there are some people who are excited about the prospect of traveling between South Florida and Central Florida at relatively high speeds without having to deal with traffic on Interstate 95 or the Florida Turnpike.

Yet it seems far more common to encounter skeptics who feel like Brightline's plans will produce nothing more than an expensive and possibly dangerous nuisance.

I understand the skepticism. However, I believe it's wise to make Brightline's planned service expansion as safe as possible, even if it involves spending some public funds.

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The planned route for the new service would pass through some of our region's most populated areas, including downtowns in Stuart, Fort Pierce, and Vero Beach.

Although Brightline officials have committed to putting at least one stop along the Treasure Coast, they haven't yet said where the stop will be or how soon it will be operational.

As I wrote last year, it's puzzling Brightline hasn't already shared information about the local stop. Maybe "baffling" is a better word.

By announcing those details, Brightline could build some goodwill in communities dozens of trains will be speeding through daily as early as next year, if the company's projections are to be believed.

Instead, we're all left wondering: "What's in it for us?" Aside from the increased risk of dying at a railroad crossing, that is.

Brightline and the Florida Department of Transportation recently applied for a federal grant to fund a $45 million project aimed at reducing accidents along railroad crossings in seven Florida counties, including the three on the Treasure Coast.

According to the Palm Beach Post, one of our sister publications, there have been almost 60 train-related fatalities in South Florida since Brightline began offering passenger service in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach in 2018.

In 2019, Florida was ranked the third-highest state in the nation for railway trespassing casualties and the second highest for casualties per track mile.

In light of those statistics, you can't blame Treasure Coast residents for being less than thrilled about welcoming Brightline to the neighborhood.

The grant funding would be used for improvements such as flexible poles and markings to make motorists more aware of the danger at rail crossings. Some of the funds would also cover fencing and landscaping to make it more difficult for motorists or pedestrians to get onto the railroad tracks.

FDOT and Brightline would each kick in about $10 million, with a grant from the federal government's infrastructure program accounting for about $25 million. If all goes according to plan, FDOT and Brightline hope to get clearance to use the federal funds by August.

Some might question why Brightline wouldn't be responsible for 100% of the costs for those safety improvements. After all, the company will create the increased danger along tracks now used by slower-moving freight trains.

Brightline doesn't see it that way. In the company's view, it has a legal right to use those tracks — and motorists and pedestrians who cross the tracks are the ones intruding.

You can disagree with Brightline's point of view, but that doesn't mean the company will spend more on safety improvements if the state and federal government spend less.

Which begs another important question: How far should government have to go to protect people from their own stupidity?

The selfish part of me says government should be spending very little, if any, money for that purpose. But I like to think that, at least on my better days, I'm kindhearted and empathetic.

I also realize there are many circumstances we cannot foresee or prevent that lead to accidents.

Tourists get lost. Kids play in places their parents have specifically told them to avoid. People with dementia or mental problems wander into areas they shouldn't. Alcohol and drug users make decisions while impaired that are extremely bad, but shouldn't be fatal.

And yeah, there are clear-minded folks who ought to know better who are going to try to outrun trains when they should wait at crossings.

Will we feel any better about deaths that occur along rail lines on the Treasure Coast in the years ahead if we think some of the victims "deserved" their fates? I say no.

Not to mention government could be putting even more taxpayer dollars at risk in the form of claims from liability lawsuits filed by accident victims and their family members if adequate safety precautions aren't in place.

Courts would have to decide who to hold responsible for safety lapses, which might put taxpayers on the hook for some judgments.

Also, you can bet the federal grant money FDOT and Brightline seek will be spent somewhere. If it's not used to improve South Florida railroad crossings, it could be spent to upgrade roads and bridges in Washington, Alaska, or other distant states.

It makes sense to try to direct as much of that money as we need toward projects here in Florida.

We may not be able to stop the train that's headed down the tracks toward us. We can, however, make it easier to get out of its way.

This column reflects the opinion of Blake Fontenay. Contact him via email at blake.fontenay@tcpalm.com or at 772-232-5424.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Help Treasure Coast residents stay safe as Brightline debuts | Opinion