Brightline completes construction for rail line between Miami and Orlando
MIAMI — Brightline has completed construction of the rail line between Orlando and Miami on Tuesday, paving the way for service between Central and South Florida.
To mark the completion, mayors representing station cities along with the Brightline construction team members gathered to celebrate with a roundtable conversation on transportation and economic impact in Florida, according to a Tuesday press release.
Mayors from Miami, Aventura, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach and Orlando gathered to celebrate the achievement with a conversation focused on the impact of connecting Florida cities with a passenger rail.
"I am thrilled to welcome Mayors from South Florida as we celebrate this connection between two of Florida's busiest city centers, Orlando and Miami," said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. "This new Orlando train station at the Orlando International Airport with 170 miles of track will connect travelers with an efficient, eco-friendly transportation option and provide job opportunities."
"As a true multimodal hub, it will change the transportation landscape and I look forward to the continued growth to come as a result of Brightline's inclusion in our community."
"The expansion of Brightline from South to Central Florida is a major milestone for the future of transportation in our state," added Miami Mayor Francis Suarez. "Connecting Florida's most important tourist destinations is a win-win for our economy, residents and visitors."
The Brightline expansion broke ground in June 2019, one year after operations began in South Florida between its Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach stations. Additional stations were opened in downtown Boca Raton and Aventura in 2022 as construction continued, press release stated.
According to economic studies obtained by Brightline, the construction generated more than 10,000 jobs and more than $6.4 billion in economic impact to the state of Florida. Construction teams worked for more than seven million hours while battling through the COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain shortages to finish the 170-mile corridor extension.
Brightline tickets for the Miami-Orlando line went on sale in May 2023, where travelers can purchase them either at gobrightline.com or by downloading the app. Service will begin later in summer 2023.
