WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Brightline officials have begun testing its trains on the Treasure Coast.
High-speed tests started Friday at 7 a.m. in Martin and St. Lucie counties and are expected to continue throughout the weekend.
The trains will be traveling at maximum speeds of 110 mph — significantly faster than the top speeds of about 80 mph in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
"This is the fastest a Brightline train has ever gone," said Katie Mitzner, a spokeswoman for Brightline, who watched the train speed by the crossing at Walton Road in St. Lucie County. "The testing is going very well, going well on the train, and also at these six crossings where we're going through at top speeds."
This first phase of testing is expected to take place over a six-week period along an 11-mile section of track, spanning nine railroad crossings in Martin and St. Lucie counties.
One test train could pass through the corridor anywhere from 10 to 16 times per day.
This is what 100 MPH looks like for @GoBrightline @WPTV pic.twitter.com/ogJiwCSBe6
— Eric Pasquarelli (@PhotogEricP) October 21, 2022
WPTV was at the crossing at Walton Road in Port St. Lucie on Friday where the train made several passes, testing its speed and brakes.
"I was standing right there as it was coming through the crossing and timed it, and it was through that crossing in four-and-a-half seconds," Mitzner said. "We can hear the horn as we are standing here, and then we see how quickly it does come through. It's a time to remind everyone about rail safety and the real basics. You only cross at a crossing, and you don't go around the gates."
The testing is occurring at the following crossings:
St. Lucie County
- Savannah Road/Waterplant Road
- Midway Road (County Road 712)
- Walton Road
- Riverview Drive
Martin County
- County Line Road
- Skyline Drive (County Road 722)
- Pitchford Landing
- Jensen Beach Boulevard (State Road 707A)
- Palmetto Avenue
All of the crossings involved in the testing had extra security and were closed for as long as five minutes.
Testing was initially set to take place earlier this week, but Brightline delayed it until Friday.
Accidents involving Brightline trains and vehicles and pedestrians in South Florida have been a concern and sparked debate over crossing safety and driver behavior around the tracks.
"Drivers are not the best drivers in Florida," said Lisa Henry who sat in her car at Walton Road waiting for a Brightline train to pass by.
Seeing the Brightline trains is something drivers will have to get used to as the expansion from South Florida to Orlando launches next year.
Brightline says there are 81 crossings in Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties.