Shape Your Station: Take the Space Coast TPO Cocoa Brightline Rail Station Online Survey
By Space Coast Daily // June 17, 2024
survey designed to gather preliminary community input on Cocoa’s passenger rail station
Related Story:Cocoa City Council Gives ‘Ok’ for City to Pursue $49 Million Grant to Fund New Brightline Station
BREVARD COUNTY • COCOA, FLORIDA – Next stop, Cocoa! As part of its Intermodal Passenger Rail Station Feasibility Study, the Space Coast Transportation Planning Organization (SCTPO) has launched Shape Your Station, a brief online survey designed to gather preliminary community input on Cocoa’s passenger rail station and surrounding area development that meets the needs of the community.
Take the Shape Your Station survey to share your thoughts on:
■ Station and surrounding area development
■ Accessibility features
■ Overall desired experience
It only takes a few minutes! Visit www.sctpo.com/
Since high-speed rail Brightline trains began operations on the Space Coast last year, Brevard County residents have been very vocal in asking when they would get a station.
Brightline officials recently announced plans to build a station on the Space Coast located at the “Cocoa Curve” in North Cocoa near the State Road 528 and U.S. Highway 1 intersection.
“Brightline is ready to begin the formal process with Space Coast stakeholders to fulfill our vision for a Brevard County station,” said Brightline Director of Public Affairs Katie Mitzner. “We agree the time is now to finalize a plan.”
The Cocoa City Council voted to earmark $5 million for the Brightline station and Cocoa Mayor Mike Blake said city officials have met with Brightline and is prepared to present a financial proposal.
Mitzner said the Space Coast Transportation Planning Organization, Brevard County, City of Cocoa and others are identifying potential federal, state and local resources for the station to be located in Cocoa.
“I am thrilled with the announcement today that Brightline has picked Cocoa for a station,” said Brevard County Commission Chair Jason Steele.
“Brightline will bring more economic brightness to our community, it will enhance Port Canaveral, Kenney Space Center and the new aquarium. I can not think of a more important announcement for Brevard!”
Its trains have seen a 116% increase in ridership this year and the company anticipates approximately 4.3 million passengers annually between South Florida and Orlando by 2025.
“We’re projecting over seven million passenger movements this year and we are thrilled that our guests will have another transportation option to embark on a cruise from Port Canaveral,” said Port Canaveral CEO Capt. John Murray.
Brightline runs between Miami and the Orlando International Airport, with part of the route running on track owned and shared by the Florida East Coast Railway. Brightline currently has stations in Miami, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach and Orlando, and plans to build a new station in Stuart.
Brightline is the only privately owned and operated intercity passenger railroad in the United States. Its development started in March 2012 as All Aboard Florida by Florida East Coast Industries, a Floridian real estate developer owned by Fortress Investment Group.
Construction began in November 2014 and the route began revenue service in January 2018, initially between Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach; the Miami to Fort Lauderdale segment began revenue service in May of that year. Infill stations at Aventura and Boca Raton opened in December 2022, and the West Palm Beach to Orlando segment began revenue service in September 2023. Brightline also hopes to connect Brightline to Tampa in the future.
Brightline’s maximum operating speed is 125 mph, and trains cover the 235 mile route in 3 hours and 25 minutes, with an average speed of 69 mph.
