Officials from Brightline recently signed an agreement that dictates terms for the study of an extension of the private rail system between Orlando and Tampa.
"Florida transportation authorities on Monday gave Brightline what appears to be a final deadline of mid-summer to iron out agreements with local and state governments for the extension of passenger rail service from Orlando’s airport to Tampa," reports Kevin Spear.
"Brightline’s proposal for rail service between Orlando and Tampa is to follow the company’s completion of an extension to Orlando’s airport, now under construction and more than half finished, from existing service between Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach," adds Spear for an explanation of the scope of the project.
Brightline has been negotiating leases along the route since empowered to the job by the Florida Department of Transportation in 2019, according to Spear, and the state is now pressing the company to wrap it up.
The agreement came with a bunch of other requirements in addition to the expiration date, including the delivery of a study that would quantify the loss of toll revenues for the state and the Central Florida Expressway Authority. (The Brightline extension will require the Central Florida Expressway Authority to vacate space currently devoted to the toll-road system.)
"Both the state and the Central Florida Expressway Authority would need to be compensated for the loss of revenue that may occur from cars being removed from the road if the train service is built," according to another article by Next Miami.
FULL STORY: Florida authorities tell Brightline to lock down Orlando-Tampa passenger-train plan by mid-summer
House Bill Would Provide $41 Billion for High-Speed Rail Grants
The "American High-Speed Rail Act" would provide $41 billion in grants and incentives for an additional $38 billion in funding for high-speed rail projects in the United States.
Ridership Stagnant, Virgin Trains Prepares to Expand
Depending on your interest and perspective, the lede might be buried here.
Tampa to Orlando High Speed Rail Back on the Table
Brightline thinks it can build a high speed rail connection between Tampa and Orlando without public money, and Governor Rick Scott looks ready to let them.
The Right to Mobility
As we consider how to decarbonize transportation, preserving mobility, especially for lower- and middle-income people, must be a priority.
Early Sharrow Booster: ‘I Was Wrong’
The lane marking was meant to raise awareness and instill shared respect among drivers and cyclists. But their inefficiency has led supporters to denounce sharrows, pushing instead for more robust bike infrastructure that truly protects riders.
Push and Pull: The Link Between Walkability and Affordability
The increased demand for walkable urban spaces could make them more and more exclusionary if cities don’t pursue policies to limit displacement and boost affordability.
U.S. Transit Agencies Face a Financial Crisis
Transit providers around the country are scrambling to find new sources of revenue to replace lagging ridership and reorienting their systems to a future less dependent on daily commuters.
California Rejects Six-State Colorado River Plan, Proposes Its Own
State officials claim a proposal agreed upon by the other six states using Colorado River water disproportionately impacts California farmers.
Washington Focuses Road Safety Efforts on Individuals, Neglecting Design
Legislative efforts to reduce traffic deaths could move the needle toward Vision Zero, but state leaders failed to commit infrastructure funds to making structural improvements.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
York County Government
York County, Human Resources
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Culver City
Sonoma County Transportation Authority
City of Piedmont, CA
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
