Treasure Coast - Thursday November 3, 2022: Calling it one of his top priorities Congressman Brian Mast blasted Brightline in a video spot released to the media Wednesday. He accused the rail carrier of ignoring the problems it has created along the Treasure Coast.
Opposition to Brightline’s high speed rail through the Treasure Coast has been one of his top priorities, said Mast. He is running for re-election to Congress against democrat Corinna Balderramos Robinsonin Florida's Congressional District 21 which covers Martin and St. Lucie counties.
In his video, Mast accuses the private rail carrier of making taxpayers pay for the problems it’s creating. “Brightline becomes the deadliest train per mile anywhere in American, and then they ask the taxpayers to fund safety improvements," he said.
In particular Mast took aim at what he said was Brightline’s request for a new railroad bridge over the St. Lucie River.
“Here’s what they asked for," said Mast. "No set scheduled for when the bridge will be up or down, forcing boaters to wait on either side of the bridge for unknown periods of time. And they made it very clear that their only priority was their personal profits.”
Mast says Brightline should have already taken the lead to fund improvements to the bridge so it opens and closes at a faster rate, publishing scheduled crossing times on an app available to the public, among other steps like “coordinating with the Coast Guard, local governments and first responders about closures that could impact public safety. That’s the bare minimum of what needs to be done.”
Brightline has not yet responded to a request for comment.