Martin County - Wednesday August 23, 2023: Martin County Commissioners have voted unanimously approved a resolution in support of Brightline’s applications for state and federal funding to replace the Florida East Coast Railway’s 100 year old drawbridge in Stuart.
Brightline’s Vice-President of Community Relations Ali Soule went before the Commission Tuesday to seek support for two grants … a SIS Grant from the Florida Department of Transportation for an as yet undetermined amount, and a so-called Mega Grant from the federal government for 130 million.
Funding for the rest of the 218-million-dollar project would have to come from other sources but when asked by Commissioner Sarah Heard, Soule declined to say how much Brightline and the FEC would be willing kick in
Heard: “So what portion is Brightline contributing and what portion is FEC contributing.”
Soule: “We are in an active grant process, so I’m not going to get into specific percentages at this point. But there obviously has to be a Brightline and an FECR contribution.”
Would Martin County taxpayers be on the hook for any of the costs? Soule did not directly respond to Commissioner Stacey Hetherington’s question about that.
Hetherington: “Would you ever anticipate that Martin County would need to provide any funds for the bridge?”
Soule: “I’m here today looking for your support, not a commitment to fund.”
Hetherington: “OK.”
The proposed new drawbridge would have a double track instead of the single track now; the vertical clearance when closed would be raised from 6-feet 6-inches to 16 feet; and the width of the passage under the track would be expanded from 50 to 90 feet.
Brightline says that would allow 92% of all marine traffic to pass under the drawbridge when it is closed.
Tom Whittington, President of the Marine Industries Association spoke in support of building a new drawbridge but emphasized the Association wants a say in it.
Whittington: “Commissioners we are respectfully requesting language in today’s proclamation that will memorialize the role that the marine industry has had in this effort. We want to be part of the design phase, the construction phase and the operations afterwards.”
The vote on the resolution in support of the funding request was unanimous, although Commissioner’s Heard let it be known she was not enthusiastic about it.
Ciampi: "All those in favor? Aye. All those opposed? The motion caries unanimously
Heard: "Even though its a bad proposal."
Ciampi: "Well, your support is helpful."
If the funding comes through by the first quarter of next year, work could begin soon after with a tentative completion date sometime in 2028.