BOCA RATON, Fla. — New details are emerging about a plan to bring a Virgin Trains stop, formerly known as Brightline, to Boca Raton.
Patrick Goddard, the President of Virgin Trains USA Florida, sent a letter to Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer on Friday, expressing interest in building a train station off N. Dixie Hwy. and Palmetto Park Rd., right next to the Boca Raton Public Library.
The Boca Raton stop would run along Virgin's route from West Palm Beach to Miami.
The letter states:
"Boca Raton is one of the cities that VTUSA has carefully studied, and we would like to work with the City of Boca Raton to finalize an agreement in which we would deliver train service to Boca Raton in the immediate future."
The letter goes onto say:
"A VTUSA station in Boca Raton will increase the quality of life, revitalize downtown, positively impact the environment, take cars off the road and provide a boost to Boca’s economy."
As part of an agreement with the city, Virgin Trains says it will:
- Fund the construction of a train station
- Construct the train station
- Fund the necessary rail infrastructure improvements
- Construct the necessary rail infrastructure improvement
- Operate the train station and parking garage
- Offer regularly scheduled train service seven days a week
Under the proposed deal, Virgin Trains wants Boca Raton to:
- Contribute land to the project
- Fund the construction of a station parking garage
- Fund and construct an elevated pedestrian bridge over Dixie Highway
- Provide shuttle service from the station to various locations within Boca Raton
Goddard said representatives from Virgin Trains USA Florida plan to attend a Boca Raton City Commission workshop meeting on Monday to discuss the project.