A railroad authority in Florida has confirmed the future of a proposed Brightline train station in a Martin County city.According to an April 27-dated letter received by former City of Stuart Mayor Christopher Collins from the Florida East Coast Railway (FEC), the railway told the city that there will not be a Brightline passenger station in the city as the FEC does not support or approve of a station in Stuart at this time.Your neighborhood: Local coverage from WPBF 25 News“Specifically, FEC cannot support any station that would result in the existing Stuart bridge being down in violation of USGC rules,” Robert B. Ledoux, FEC’s lawyer, told the city in the letter.The USCG is the United States Coast Guard.The letter was posted to Facebook by Stuart commissioner Sean Reed on Wednesday.According to Ledoux, the FEC system would require the bridge to be down while the train stops at the proposed Stuart station.“FEC has notified Brightline that they have not met the requirements of our agreements for FEC to approve any Stuart passenger station,” Ledoux stated. “Brightline cannot unilaterally build anything on FEC without FEC’s express written approval. Therefore, the city’s concern for parking is moot.”CLICK HERE TO READ THE LETTERA spokesperson for Brightline provided WPBF 25 News the following statement on Wednesday afternoon:”Brightline has reviewed FECR’s objections and determined they lack merit. The proposed station will remain fully compliant with Coast Guard regulations. Brightline remains committed to collaborating with Martin County to deliver this important community asset.”Before Collins resigned as mayor on April 30 to pursue a campaign to become a Martin County Commissioner in the general election in November, he sent a letter to the Martin County Board of Commissioners about concerns about how the station’s construction would lead to 165 of the 334 current parking spaces designated for the county courthouse to be removed.Collins said in his letter to the commission that construction would leave the courthouse below the minimum required 218 parking spaces.In October 2024, the city commission voted 3 to 2 to not proceed with a proposed Brightline station, but the Martin County Commission moved forward to construct the station by applying for federal grants to offset the cost of building the station.Last year, the county commission confirmed to WPBF 25 News that it had to re-apply for a $45 million federal funding grant, citing a change in administrations in Washington, D.C.Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.

STUART, Fla. —

A railroad authority in Florida has confirmed the future of a proposed Brightline train station in a Martin County city.

According to an April 27-dated letter received by former City of Stuart Mayor Christopher Collins from the Florida East Coast Railway (FEC), the railway told the city that there will not be a Brightline passenger station in the city as the FEC does not support or approve of a station in Stuart at this time.

Your neighborhood: Local coverage from WPBF 25 News

“Specifically, FEC cannot support any station that would result in the existing Stuart bridge being down in violation of USGC rules,” Robert B. Ledoux, FEC’s lawyer, told the city in the letter.

The USCG is the United States Coast Guard.

The letter was posted to Facebook by Stuart commissioner Sean Reed on Wednesday.

According to Ledoux, the FEC system would require the bridge to be down while the train stops at the proposed Stuart station.

“FEC has notified Brightline that they have not met the requirements of our agreements for FEC to approve any Stuart passenger station,” Ledoux stated. “Brightline cannot unilaterally build anything on FEC without FEC’s express written approval. Therefore, the city’s concern for parking is moot.”

CLICK HERE TO READ THE LETTER

A spokesperson for Brightline provided WPBF 25 News the following statement on Wednesday afternoon:

“Brightline has reviewed FECR’s objections and determined they lack merit. The proposed station will remain fully compliant with Coast Guard regulations. Brightline remains committed to collaborating with Martin County to deliver this important community asset.”

Before Collins resigned as mayor on April 30 to pursue a campaign to become a Martin County Commissioner in the general election in November, he sent a letter to the Martin County Board of Commissioners about concerns about how the station’s construction would lead to 165 of the 334 current parking spaces designated for the county courthouse to be removed.

Collins said in his letter to the commission that construction would leave the courthouse below the minimum required 218 parking spaces.

In October 2024, the city commission voted 3 to 2 to not proceed with a proposed Brightline station, but the Martin County Commission moved forward to construct the station by applying for federal grants to offset the cost of building the station.

Last year, the county commission confirmed to WPBF 25 News that it had to re-apply for a $45 million federal funding grant, citing a change in administrations in Washington, D.C.

Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.