Bridge work kicks into high gear on Orlando extension project

Crews are starting construction on many of the 28 bridges that are part of Virgin Trains’ Orlando extension project.

Virgin Trains

Virgin Trains, formerly Brightline, continues progress on the Orlando extension, connecting South Florida with Central Florida, beginning construction on many of the 28 bridges located along the 129-mile north-south corridor between Brevard and Palm Beach counties.

Bridge work has begun on bridges over Crane Creek in Melbourne, Turkey Creek in Palm Bay, Goat Creek in Grant-Valkaria, Sebastian River on the Brevard/Indian River County line and the Loxahatchee River in Jupiter.

Specific bridge work varies by location with initial work including the mobilization of cranes, materials, equipment and crews as well as pile driving to install temporary work trestles for crane access. The majority of bridge work, including pile-driving, will take place during daylight hours between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Bridge work is expected to continue until mid-2022. The removal and replacement of existing bridges has been extensively coordinated with the Army Corps of Engineers, the State Historic Preservation Office, multiple state water management districts, and, for any bridges over navigable waterways, the U.S. Coast Guard. Virgin Trains will work with the U.S. Coast Guard to provide information for Notices to Mariners for bridges over any waters used by recreational and commercial boaters.

Construction on the 170-mile Orlando extension is comprised of more than 840 workers. That number is expected to increase over the next four months.

Specific construction information and FAQ sheets for each bridge project can be found online at https://www.gobrightline.com/railroad-construction.

Virgin Trains’ Orlando $2.5 billion extension project consists of 170 miles of track and 53 bridges from West Palm Beach to Orlando International Airport and is expected to be completed in late 2022.

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