Cocoa station explained

Cocoa
Style:Brightline
Address:2800 Clearlake Road
Borough:Cocoa, Florida
Country:United States
Coordinates:28.3974°N -80.752°W
Owned:Florida East Coast Industries
Operator:Brightline
Line:Florida East Coast Railway
Platform:1 side platform
Tracks:1
Structure:At-grade
Parking:On-site parking garage; paid
Bicycle:Racks
Accessible:Yes
Opening:TBD
Other Services Header:Future services
Mapframe:yes
Mapframe-Custom:
Shape:none
Line:none
Marker:rail
Zoom:15

Cocoa station is a future Brightline inter-city rail infill station in Cocoa, Florida, United States. The station would be located just south of the Cocoa Curve, where Brightline's Orlando Line along State Road 528 merges with the Florida East Coast Railway main line. The station will be located on property already owned by Brightline, on the south side of the interchange between U.S. Route 1 and State Road 528. A timeline for construction or opening has not yet been established.

History

Brevard County had long desired a Brightline infill station since 2016.[1] That same year, the Space Coast Transportation Planning Organization (SCTPO) identified an area of land owned by Brightline used for construction on their Orlando Branch as the best possible location for a station.[2] The site, located at 2800 Clearlake Road,[3] was chosen due to its location just south of the Cocoa Curve due to Brightline already owning the land and trains being required to slow down while traversing the curve anyhow.[4] The SCTPO, since their initial study, had been pursuing a station there since.[5]

Brightline had initially expressed interest in adding a station on the Space Coast. Brightline indicated that Cocoa would make the most sense for a Space Coast station because of its close proximity to Port Canaveral's cruise lines as well as for positioning for future expansion to Jacksonville.[6] In June 2023, Brightline purchased land in Titusville, with potentially having plans to develop a residential neighborhood and station in Cocoa.[7] [8] However, even after the West Palm Beach to Orlando segment began revenue service on September 22, 2023,[9] Brightline had not yet formally committed to adding a station in Cocoa, as funding for it would need to be secured first.[10]

The SCTPO would eventually be able to secure $15.5 million in federal grants to fund a station at their chosen location.[11] On March 12, 2024, following a unanimous decision by the Cocoa City Council, an additional $5 million from the city's budget was allocated to fund the station.[12] [13] The city of Cocoa would also begin to coordinate with community stakeholders to present a financial proposal to Brightline detailing station funding plans, as well as continue to push for additional federal and state grants, while Brevard County Commission Chair Jason Steele also began to push for a tourism capital grant for the station.[11] With a total of $20.5 million in funding for the station finally secured,[14] a meeting was held between Cocoa city officials and Brightline executives later that day,[15] [16] leading to an announcement by Katie Mitzner, Brightline's director of public affairs, announcing that the company was finally ready to begin formalizing the station with Space Coast stakeholders and that they would begin finalizing a plan for the station. However, a timeline for construction or opening has not yet been established.[17] [18]

On May 8, 2024, Brevard County commissioners voted to approve a recommendation from the Brevard County Tourist Development Council for an additional $5 million grant for the station.[19]

Notes and References

  1. News: Lynch . Ryan . Why Brightline's Cocoa station should be big for these businesses . March 19, 2024 . . . March 14, 2024.
  2. News: Pallone . Greg . Brightline, city of Cocoa working to finalize new station . March 20, 2024 . . . March 12, 2024.
  3. News: Glasby . Rick . Brightline OKs train stop in Cocoa . March 19, 2024 . . . March 12, 2024.
  4. Web site: Johnston . Bob . 2024-03-13 . Brightline to add Cocoa, Fla., station . 2024-03-13 . Trains . en-US.
  5. News: Brightline aims to locate rail station on Florida's Space Coast . March 20, 2024 . Progressive Railroading . Trade Press Media Group, Inc. . March 13, 2024.
  6. News: Solomon . Joshua . October 25, 2019 . Virgin Trains moving closer to station in Cocoa, leaning toward Stuart . October 28, 2019 . TCPalm . en.
  7. Web site: June 5, 2023 . Brightline purchases land in Titusville, develops neighborhood in Cocoa . subscription . June 5, 2023 . Florida Today.
  8. Web site: Lynch . Ryan . June 6, 2023 . Brightline just bought more land; see how it might be used . June 6, 2023 . WFTV.
  9. News: Mazzei . Patricia . Chokshi . Niraj . September 22, 2023 . Arriving Now: Fast Passenger Trains From Miami to Orlando . . September 22, 2023.
  10. News: Berman . Dave . December 29, 2023 . Brevard officials hope to get Brightline train stop, but that could be years away . subscription . January 4, 2024 . Florida Today.
  11. News: Berman . Dave . Brightline gives green light to Cocoa stop for its Orlando-to-Miami passenger rail service . subscription . March 19, 2024 . . . March 13, 2024.
  12. News: Tribou . Richard . Brightline to add train stop in Cocoa, providing access to Brevard cruise ships . subscription . March 19, 2024 . . . March 12, 2024.
  13. News: Summerall . Marian . Brightline bringing new high-speed rail station to Cocoa . March 19, 2024 . . Community Communications, Inc. . March 14, 2024.
  14. News: Heidler . Scott . Petro . Allison . New Brightline station set to open in Central Florida . March 19, 2024 . . . March 16, 2024.
  15. News: Shields . Malcolm . City of Cocoa in negotiations to get a Brightline station . March 20, 2024 . . . March 12, 2024.
  16. News: Bonanno . Chris . Cocoa to work on plan for new Brightline station . March 20, 2024 . Hometown News Brevard . March 13, 2024.
  17. News: Dahm . Daniel . Next stop, Cocoa: Brightline travels toward new station in Brevard . March 19, 2024 . . . March 12, 2024.
  18. News: Burke . Peter . Brightline announces it's moving forward with Space Coast station in Cocoa . March 20, 2024 . WPTV . The E.W. Scripps Company . March 12, 2024.
  19. News: Holt . Melonie . Brevard County commissioners approve grant for Brightline station in Cocoa . May 12, 2024 . . . May 8, 2024.