St. Lucie River railroad bridge in Stuart to reopen Monday to boaters during daytime

Lina Ruiz, Treasure Coast Newspapers
·1 min read
A Brightline train is seen crossing the St. Lucie River railroad bridge in Stuart, Fla., in February 2023.

STUART — The three-week closure of the St. Lucie River railroad bridge to boaters ends Monday, resuming daytime waterway access as Brightline renovates the almost-100-year-old bridge.

It will reopen 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily starting Monday until May 29 when work will be complete, according to Brightline officials. The bridge will stay locked in the open position 6 -7 a.m. and 7-8 p.m. daily and resume normal operations in between those times. It will return to full normal operations at 6 a.m. on May 29, Brightline said.

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The drawbridge has been in the down position since May 1 as contractors replace or update mechanical, electrical and control components, including the axles on which the drawbridge rotates. The renovations come as Brightline prepares to begin passenger service between South Florida and Orlando International Airport on Sept. 1.

Three days before the bridge closure, a federal lawsuit was filed over the potential obstruction of the Okeechobee Waterway, which includes the St. Lucie River. Marine businesses, which filed the lawsuit, said the launch of Brightline service and the continued operation of Florida East Coast Railway freight trains would hurt the businesses financially. They argue the bridge would be closed to boat traffic 45 minutes of every hour daily once Brightline begins full operation.

The current bridge closure is not part of the lawsuit.

The U.S. Coast Guard has made no decision on whether it will approve the bridge-closing schedule.

Lina Ruiz is TCPalm's watchdog reporter for Martin County. You can reach her at lina.ruiz@tcpalm.com, on Twitter @Lina_Ruiz48 or at 321-501-3845.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: St. Lucie River bridge to reopen during the day following repairs work