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February 2018

BOCA POLICE ID MAN HIT BY BRIGHTLINE AT CROSSING

THE HIGHLAND BEACH MAN HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS THE PERSON INJURED WEDNESDAY WHEN A BRIGHTLINE TRAIN STRUCK HIS CAR IN BOCA RATON. 90-year-old Benjamin Morelli was struck by a train around 8 p.m. Wednesday when he was unable to get out of his vehicle.

Since Brightline began service on Jan 12, five people have been struck and two have died. None of them were in cars.

Read more here.

INDIAN RIVER & MARTIN COUNTIES, CARE FL FILE FEDERAL LAWSUIT AGAINST THE U.S.DOT

ON FEB. 13, INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, MARTIN COUNTY AND CITIZENS AGAINST RAIL EXPANSION IN FLORIDA (CARE FL) FILED A JOIN COMPLAINT AGAINST THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (USDOT) AND THE FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION (FRA). The complaint demonstrates that federal officials ignored or failed to consider the environmental, public safety, maritime and environmental impacts the All Aboard Florida (AAF) rail project will have on Treasure Coast communities.

Read more here.

BRIGHTLINE TRAIN HITS, INJURES PEDESTRIAN IN BROWARD COUNTY

A PEDESTRIAN WAS HIT AND INJURED BY A BRIGHTLINE TRAIN IN BROWARD COUNTY. The pedestrian was "hit by a Brightline train and transported to Broward General Hospital with injuries that do not appear to be life-threatening," Officer Jennifer Bickhardt said Thursday night.

The police department has blocked off the area and is continuing to gather information about the incident, Bickhardt said.

This is the fourth time this year that Brightline has hit a pedestrian or bicyclist and the sixth time since the passenger railroad began test runs.

MAN SURVIVES AFTER BEING STRUCK BY BRIGHTLINE TRAIN IN WILTON MANORS

RESCUE WORKERS PULLED A MAN FROM UNDERNEATH A BRIGHTLINE AFTER HE WAS STRUCK LATE THURSDAY. The victim was taken to Broward Health Medical Center with a broken arm.

This is the six pedestrian vs. train incident since Brightline began testing. Four victims have died.

Read more here.

Original article written by Jock Fistick of the South Florida Business Journal.

RICH CAMPBELL SAYS SPEED KILLS

RICH CAMPBELL SAYS SPEED KILLS

Tell us again, Brightline proponents, why Indian River, Martin and St. Lucie counties should support this project, says Campbell.

With a train traveling at 110 mph and 300 yards away, residents have less than 6 seconds to get out of the way, says Cambell. Yes, Brightline can blame the residents for being on the track, but no other rail line in world travels these speeds on hundreds of at-grade crossings. Well designed high-speed trains go underground at intersections, have fences protecting local residents and overhead pedestrian crossings.

"BRIGHTLINE PRACTICE IS UNDERWAY" - SURVEY OF RAILROAD BRIDGES EXTENDED UNTIL FEBRUARY 16

THE REQUEST FOR THE U.S. COAST GUARD TO CONDUCT A SURVEY OF MARINERS ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF THE RAILROAD DRAWBRIDGES ALONG THE TREASURE COAST HAS BEEN EXTENDED. These responses have boomed due to events such as the repair of a railroad bridge on the St. Lucie River which left dozens of mariners unable to navigate for three hours Thursday afternoon.

Worse yet, the mariners impacted - such as daytime cruise ship Captain Fred Newhart - were unable to get any reasonable communication with railroad officials about what was going on, and how long the delay would be.