UPCOMING: Brightline Signal Testing Extended Until Saturday, June 19 in West Palm Beach ALERT: Trains Outside of Testing Area Will Operate at Top Speeds of 79 MPH
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UPCOMING: Brightline Signal Testing Extended Until Saturday, June 19 in West Palm Beach ALERT: Trains Outside of Testing Area Will Operate at Top Speeds of 79 MPH MIAMI, Fla. (June 18, 2021) – Brightline signal work continues in Palm Beach County, through railroad crossings in West Palm Beach. Work will now run until 7 p.m., Saturday, June 19. The work supports positive train control (PTC) implementation and is expected to be completed by July 2021. Testing is in preparation of Brightline’s return to service later this year. Brightline trains will now be operating at FRA approved and authorized top speeds of 79 miles per hour outside of specific testing zones and along the entire 67-mile corridor from West Palm Beach to Miami. Trains will be adhering to quiet zones throughout testing and will not sound horns in designated areas. With trains now operating on the tracks at more regular intervals and at top speeds, Brightline is reminding the public, pedestrians, motorists and cyclists to make safe choices around trains and crossings. The safety message is simple: look, listen, live. Drivers and pedestrians should obey all traffic laws around crossings and never stop on the tracks! Remain alert and aware when near railroad tracks and only cross the tracks at a railroad crossing. NOTE: The following will occur during signal testing at the crossings listed below: • Brightline trains will be present in the work zones (listed below) and could be present throughout the entire corridor from West Palm Beach to Miami. • Horns WILL SOUND, even in quiet zones. This includes all trains (Brightline and freight trains). This is in adherence to the federal regulation that states train horns must be sounded if workers are present or work is occurring in or near the right of way. • Flaggers and workers will be present at railroad crossings and signal locations as well as along the right of way in current work zones (listed below). We encourage press to post on social media to alert the public on Brightline’s signal tests. Brightline will be posting announcements on its social channels as well: Twitter and Instagram. The following information is also available on the Brightline website, Questions can be directed to Katie Mitzner, Brightline Director of Public Affairs at [email protected] or 407-502-3587. Palm Beach County Locations in West Palm Beach Continuous testing, 7 a.m., Saturday, June 12 through 7 p.m., Saturday, June 19. Fern St. West Palm Beach Westwood Rd. Clematis St. Bunker Rd. Ardmore Rd. Banyon Blvd. (1st St.) Nottingham Rd. Claremore Dr. 3rd St. Roseland Dr. Flamingo Dr. 15th St. Monroe Dr. Park Place El Vedado Palm Ave. Avenida Hermosa Okeechobee Rd. East (SR Hampton Rd. 704) Monceaux Rd. Okeechobee Rd. West (SR Hamilton St. 704) Belvedere Rd. Hibiscus St. Gardenia St. # # # ABOUT BRIGHTLINE Brightline is the only private high-speed passenger rail system in the United States, providing modern, eco-friendly train service between Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach in Florida, with plans to expand to Orlando. Brightline was recognized in 2020 by Fast Company as one of the Most Innovative Companies in travel, offering a guest-first experience designed to reinvent train travel and take cars off the road. Brightline plans to bring its award-winning service to additional city pairs and congested corridors across the country that are too close to fly and too long to drive, with immediate plans to connect Las Vegas to Southern California. .