FRA awards grant for Brightline Florida's multimodal station rail project in Cocoa

The city of Cocoa, Florida, and the Space Coast Transportation Planning Organization (SCTPO) announced the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has chosen Brightline Florida's multimodal station and rail project in Cocoa to receive a $57.5 million Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program grant to bring passenger service to the Space Coast.

The Cocoa Multimodal Station and Rail Project seeks to create an intermodal hub in the City of Cocoa in the form of a Brightline station that connects various modes of transportation. It would address the area’s lack of intermodal facilities and transit options. As part of the federal award, Brightline Florida will partner with the city to construct the station, and will maintain and operate the facility.

The federal grant is “highly competitive,” and securing it “requires immense technical preparation, financial commitment, and inter-agency trust,” says Brightline. The project involves the design and construction of a multimodal passenger station featuring family-friendly amenities. On-site circulation and parking facilities will be developed on land already owned by the project partners to optimize resource management. In addition, about four additional miles of double track will be installed.

Brightline Trains will partner with the City of Cocoa to construct the station with Brightline responsible for the station’s operation and future maintenance. The four additional miles of double-tracking and all necessary rail infrastructure will be within the existing corridor.

In 2016, the SCTPO conducted an initial Station Location Analysis and identified the location near Clearlake Road in Cocoa as the “preferred location” for a station. Since then, the SCTPO completed a formal Intermodal Feasibility Station Study in October 2024. The study focused on evaluating and developing preliminary plans for an intermodal station and conducted a “Shape Your Station” survey.

Brightline Florida provides passenger rail service through the heart of the Space Coast, connecting Orlando International Airport to Miami along Florida East Coast Railway tracks.

Source: FRA