USA: A $78.9 million federal grant will replace Florida’s century-old St. Lucie River Railroad Bridge, reducing delays for Brightline trains, freight traffic and most boats.

Five Brightline trainsets at Workshop b in West Palm Beach, Florida
Five Brightline trainsets at Workshop b in West Palm Beach, Florida. Illustrative photo. Photo: Patrickhamiltonbrightline, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded the grant to the City of Stuart to replace the existing St. Lucie River Railroad Bridge with a new double-track structure, according to a Brightline press release. The bridge carries both Brightline passenger service and Florida East Coast Railway freight traffic, while also crossing the Okeechobee Waterway, a federal navigation channel used by recreational boaters, commercial marine traffic and cruising vessels. The FRA describes the bridge as the corridor’s last single-track choke point and says its replacement will reduce risks associated with coastal storms and vessel or bridge incursions.

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Why the closed-position number matters most

The new bridge will raise horizontal clearance from 50 feet to roughly 90 feet and vertical clearance in the closed position from 6.5 feet to about 17.75 feet, allowing more than 90% of vessels to pass underneath without the bridge opening. Reducing the number of openings should improve rail and marine traffic flow and, according to Brightline, decrease the potential for blocked grade crossings and vehicle collisions. “Anyone who’s spent time on the St. Lucie River knows that century-old bridge is too low, sitting at 6 feet, too narrow, and stuck in the closed position more often than it should be,” said Congressman Brian Mast.

What to watch

The new award of up to $78.9 million complements the $130.5 million federal MEGA grant announced in 2023. According to the FRA’s project summary, the two federal awards, together with the required 20% non-federal match from the City of Stuart, will fully fund the bridge replacement. That match may include funding from the Florida Department of Transportation and Brightline. The award covers project development, final design, right-of-way acquisition and construction, making the delivery schedule the next key milestone to watch.

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