- Construction Projects Around the Town of Jupiter
- Brightline Construction Information
Brightline Construction Information
Project Information
As part of the Brightline expansion of its high-speed rail project from West Palm Beach to Orlando, there will be a number of railroad construction projects impacting the Jupiter area in the upcoming weeks and months.
Beginning in February, Brightline will begin high-speed testing of their trains throughout northern Palm Beach County, to include Jupiter, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Riviera Beach and West Palm Beach. The testing will occur from 7:00 am until 4:00 pm daily through the end of March.
During the testing, trains will be operating at high speeds, at times up to 110 miles per hour. Flaggers will be present at all crossings during the testing.
Crossings affected by the high-speed test in Jupiter include:
- Center Street
- Indiantown Road
- Toney Penna Drive
- Frederick Small Road
- Donald Ross Road
Motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians are encouraged to take extreme caution during the testing, as well as at all times when crossing railroad tracks.
To receive text alerts from Brightline concerning the latest information on the high-speed testing, text “RR110” to 888-304-0037. #TownofJupiter #Brightline #RailSafety
For project-related construction updates in the Jupiter area, visit GoBrightline Construction Webpage and select Palm Beach County from the drop-down list. Please direct questions and comments to Katie Mitzner with Brightline at 407-502-3587 or katie.mitzner@gobrightline.com.
To receive text alerts containing schedule updates and important information on the closures from Brightline, text “LOX” to 888-384-0037. Information will also be posted by Brightline to its Twitter account (@GoBrightline) and on the Brightline website (www.gobrightline.com/railroad-construction).
Background
Brightline Trains LLC, is a privately owned, operated and maintained passenger rail system brought forward by All Aboard Florida. All Aboard Florida is part of Florida East Coast Industries, the parent company of operations in real estate, transportation and infrastructure.
Brightline currently provides service connecting Miami to Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, with plans currently underway to provide service to Orlando at the South Terminal of Orlando International Airport.
Local governments along the corridor - such as Jupiter - have been working with regional planning councils, elected officials and each other to understand all of the impacts of the project to connect West Palm Beach to Orlando. In addition, Jupiter is advocating that, as the project moves forward, it should only do so in a form that prioritizes public safety and quality of life issues.
Brightline Trains Information Session
On Monday, October 14th, 2019 representatives for Brightline Trains held an open public information session in the Jupiter Community Center to discuss the upcoming construction of the new railway, impacts, railroad bridge, and potential time frames. A question and answer session was also held. View the video below of that session.
History of Jupiter’s Actions and Position on High-Speed Passenger Rail
The Jupiter Town Council has taken several actions and positions with respect to the safety and quality of life concerns raised over Brightline’s proposal to continue its project north of West Palm Beach.
In June, 2015 the Council submitted a letter to the Florida Development Finance Corporation (FDFC) regarding the issuance of bonds to fund the All Aboard Florida project. Read it here. Just prior, on Monday, June 1, 2015 the Council hosted a workshop with All Aboard Florida and the Florida East Coast Railway regarding the plan for a proposed passenger rail service connecting Miami to Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Orlando.
The purpose of the workshop was to have AAF and FEC representatives address questions from the Town Council regarding the proposed project, its design, and how safety and infrastructure concerns are being addressed. The format of this workshop was question and answer between the Jupiter Town Council and representatives from AAF and FEC. Public is welcome; however, there is no public comment section on the workshop agenda.
Town Council prepared and sent a list of questions to AAF for the June 1st workshop.
- Click here to view the prepared questions .
- Click here to view the presentation by AAF in Powerpoint and in PDF format.
The Town also provided comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) published by the Federal Railroad Administration. Read the letter and view the attachments here.
Resources
Jupiter residents are urged to stay up-to-date on Brightline’s proposal, and contact their State and Federal lawmakers with any concerns (click here for government links and resources). In addition, the following links may be helpful to read about and understand more about the AAF proposal.
- Letter from the Jupiter Town Council to Patrick Murphy regarding Brightline .
- Town of Jupiter Resolution 47-14 , passed July 1, 2014.
- Brightline website
- Federal Railroad Administration website
- Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) : The DEIS contains information on the purpose and need for the project, the considered alternatives, descriptions of those alternatives and an evaluation of the environmental consequences of the project. Between October 27, 2014 and November 13, 2014, eight public workshops were held by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to discuss the DEIS and gather public input.
For further information contact the Town via JupConnect