Treasure Coast wants future for potential Brightline stop

FORT PIERCE, FL – The high speed passenger rail project Brightline, which operates service from West Palm Beach, FL to Miami is about to complete its extension from West Palm Beach to Orlando International airport. With future stops planned in Aventura and Boca Raton, the Treasure Coast city of Fort Pierce has advocated for a future stop in their city.

The government of Fort Pierce has been vocal about securing a future Brightline stop. Fort Pierce City Manager Ben Mimms wants rail service to come back. Passenger rail service has been a forefront of the city since the 1900s. Mimms said that passenger rail service is a strong component of a city’s growth. 

This is not the first time Fort Pierce has been pushing for a station stop. Since the early 2000s, Fort Pierce has tried to get an Amtrak stop, but that fizzled out. They then tried to get an extended line from South Florida’s regional transportation authority’s commuter train TriRail. which runs trains from West Palm Beach to Miami International airport. Their latest attempt has been focused on Brightline, said Mimms. 

A Fort Pierce station stop will boost tourism, spur economic development and benefit Fort Pierce’s citizens, said Mimms. 

Mimms said his constituents are in favor of a Brightline stop. 

Glen Theobald from White City said he is in favor of a Brightline stop in the Treasure Coast. He echoed Mimms in saying that a Brightline stop would be an economic driver the city needs. Downtown Fort Pierce has been slow to develop and the surrounding areas need to be revitalized. A station stop would do just that, he said.

Amanda Wheeler-Ortiz, from Hobe Sound said she  loves the idea of a high-speed rail network. She is familiar with the area where a potential stop could be, as she works in downtown Fort Pierce. Wheeler-Ortiz said a stop in the Treasure Coast, specifically Fort Pierce, would benefit the city. She would utilize the station stop. 

As far as the noise complaints go, Theobald, who lived close by the Brightline tracks, said the Brightline trains were quiet.

“You wouldn’t even hear [the Brightline],” he said. “I had freight trains come by that rattled my house,”

Brightline’s impact on Fort Pierce’s transportation network as well as additional rail traffic and impact on roadways are some of the concerns that have been voiced, said Mimms. In response to the concerns, he said that the city is working with the Federal Railway Administration, Florida Department of Transportation and Brightline to have safety measures put in place to ensure the safety of pedestrians and vehicles. 

Mimms said Fort Pierce has always been a strong point for a Brightline stop, but time will tell as Brightline is focused on completing phase two of its plan, which will extend a 168-mile track corridor from West Palm Beach to Orlando International Airport, he said.

Brightline did not return calls about plans for a potential stop in the Treasure Coast.