PBSO: Brightline train crash kills man standing between tracks in Lake Worth Beach

Julius Whigham II, Palm Beach Post
·2 min read
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LAKE WORTH BEACH —  A person was struck and killed Wednesday morning by a Brightline train in Lake Worth Beach, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office reported.

The crash happened shortly before 9 a.m. on the southbound FEC railroad track, just north of the intersection of 10th Avenue North and North G Street. PBSO investigators said that a man stood between the northbound and southbound train tracks facing north and did not move as the Brightline train approached.

A northbound train arrives at the Brightline station in downtown West Palm Beach Monday, November 8, 2021.
A northbound train arrives at the Brightline station in downtown West Palm Beach Monday, November 8, 2021.

The man's identity was not known as of Wednesday afternoon, a PBSO spokesperson said. The crash marked the 17th pedestrian or motorist death involving a Brightline train in Palm Beach County since the company opened for service in January 2018.

More: Brightline train, FDOT roll out a $45 million plan to eliminate train-crossing deaths

More: When, where and how: A detailed list of Brightline train deaths in Palm Beach County

Brightline suspended passenger service between West Palm Beach and Miami from March 2020 to November 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Brightline and the Florida Department of Transportation have applied for a federal grant to help fund a $45 million project to reduce the number of crashes along railroad crossings in seven Florida counties -- including Palm Beach.

Brightline and FDOT would each contribute $10 million, with the other $25 million coming from the federal grant. A decision on the federal funding is expected in August.

Officials from Brightline and FDOT estimate that planned safety enhancements will save 95 lives and prevent 146 accidents over the next two decades.

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Nearly a third of the improvements at crossings, or 106, are slated for Palm Beach County. The other 222 would be made at crossings in Miami-Dade, Broward, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River and Brevard counties.

Julius Whigham II covers public safety and criminal justice for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jwhigham@pbpost.com and follow him on Twitter at @JuliusWhigham. Help support our work: Subscribe today. 

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Man on tracks struck, killed by Brightline train in Palm Beach County