Cocoa station
Cocoa | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General information | |||||||||||
| Location | 2800 Clearlake Road Cocoa, Florida United States | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 28°23′51″N 80°45′07″W / 28.39739°N 80.75202°W | ||||||||||
| Owned by | Florida East Coast Industries | ||||||||||
| Operated by | Brightline | ||||||||||
| Line(s) | Florida East Coast Railway | ||||||||||
| Platforms | 1 side platform | ||||||||||
| Tracks | 1 | ||||||||||
| Construction | |||||||||||
| Structure type | At-grade | ||||||||||
| Parking | On-site parking garage; paid | ||||||||||
| Bicycle facilities | Racks | ||||||||||
| Accessible | Yes | ||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||
| Opening | TBD | ||||||||||
| Future services | |||||||||||
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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
[edit]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]
References
[edit]- ^ Lynch, Ryan (March 14, 2024). "Why Brightline's Cocoa station should be big for these businesses". WFTV. Cox Media Group. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
- ^ Pallone, Greg (March 12, 2024). "Brightline, city of Cocoa working to finalize new station". Spectrum News 1 North Carolina. Charter Communications. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
- ^ Glasby, Rick (March 12, 2024). "Brightline OKs train stop in Cocoa". WFIT. Florida Institute of Technology. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
- ^ Johnston, Bob (March 13, 2024). "Brightline to add Cocoa, Fla., station". Trains. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
- ^ "Brightline aims to locate rail station on Florida's Space Coast". Progressive Railroading. Trade Press Media Group, Inc. March 13, 2024. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
- ^ Solomon, Joshua (October 25, 2019). "Virgin Trains moving closer to station in Cocoa, leaning toward Stuart". TCPalm. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
- ^ "Brightline purchases land in Titusville, develops neighborhood in Cocoa". Florida Today. June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
- ^ Lynch, Ryan (June 6, 2023). "Brightline just bought more land; see how it might be used". WFTV. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
- ^ Mazzei, Patricia; Chokshi, Niraj (September 22, 2023). "Arriving Now: Fast Passenger Trains From Miami to Orlando". The New York Times. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
- ^ Berman, Dave (December 29, 2023). "Brevard officials hope to get Brightline train stop, but that could be years away". Florida Today. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
- ^ a b Berman, Dave (March 13, 2024). "Brightline gives green light to Cocoa stop for its Orlando-to-Miami passenger rail service". Florida Today. Gannett. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
- ^ Tribou, Richard (March 12, 2024). "Brightline to add train stop in Cocoa, providing access to Brevard cruise ships". Orlando Sentinel. Tribune Publishing. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
- ^ Summerall, Marian (March 14, 2024). "Brightline bringing new high-speed rail station to Cocoa". WMFE-FM. Community Communications, Inc. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
- ^ Heidler, Scott; Petro, Allison (March 16, 2024). "New Brightline station set to open in Central Florida". WESH. Hearst Television. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
- ^ Shields, Malcolm (March 12, 2024). "City of Cocoa in negotiations to get a Brightline station". WPBF. Hearst Television. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
- ^ Bonanno, Chris (March 13, 2024). "Cocoa to work on plan for new Brightline station". Hometown News Brevard. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
- ^ Dahm, Daniel (March 12, 2024). "Next stop, Cocoa: Brightline travels toward new station in Brevard". WKMG-TV. Graham Media Group. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
- ^ Burke, Peter (March 12, 2024). "Brightline announces it's moving forward with Space Coast station in Cocoa". WPTV. The E.W. Scripps Company. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
- ^ Holt, Melonie (May 8, 2024). "Brevard County commissioners approve grant for Brightline station in Cocoa". WFTV. Cox Media Group. Retrieved May 12, 2024.